A New Power
by Anna Brooks
Summary: End of BD and after. The Cullens face the Volturi in battle and change the vampire world forever. Surprising new family members and strange turns of events, a new life, new enemy and an abundance of new adventures.Mostly Bella's POV
1. Verdict

**A/N:**

**Set from the end of BD but with a different more satisfying climax to the Volturi confrontation, I've also got some wicked ideas for the post Volturi plot which I think may intrigue some people. Hope you like what I do to Bella's power ;)**

**Only just started this and I have uni exams coming up but I will try to keep updating at least once a week. For now, enjoy (or not if it's not your cup of tea) and review :)**

Chapter one: Verdict

Nahuel and his aunt had just finished their account for the Volturi and we all took a collective breath in anticipation of Aro's response. His red eyes focused on me and Edward again, feigned sadness deepened his expression and he began to pace back and forth.

'I'm sorry dear new friend, but I cannot judge the possible future of one child based on the hearsay of another creature of the unknown, I also cannot overlook the obvious deception of your existence being kept a secret from myself and my brothers, for this, your witness is invalid.' He began.

'Come brothers, let us decide upon our verdict once more' his wheezing voice came to a halt and they gathered around him in the pretence of deliberating whilst obviously intent on finding the best way to end us.

I was suddenly filled with an even greater rage than before, creating a surge of anger at the idea that everyone I loved; the Cullens and the wolves, especially Seth and his awkward grin, Leah too, despite her open animosity. The Denalis and the Irish coven. All of the nomads and the frightful Zafrina and her sister. All of them would die, all so Aro could continue to keep his _white hat_ and gain power in the vampire world.

It sickened me; each wave of hatred pulsed out from me and rippled into my shield, it felt oddly more tangible now, less of an invisible protector and more like a physical entity. This strengthened my resolve and I decided to discreetly test it, focusing on the outer perimeter of our gathering I urged my shield to weave outwards and towards Seth, 'Jake' I whispered so low that only he and a few others of our group heard us, 'could you tell Seth not to panic, I'm going to try something and it might feel weird but it's just me', he gave me a strange look but huffed and then dipped his head to show that the message had gone through. Edward was looking at me from the corner of his eye like I was insane, 'just bear with me okay, trust me', he rolled his eyes but waited patiently anyway.

Urging my shield like an extra limb, I willed it to rap around Seth's hind leg and pull it ever so slightly, it was easier than I thought, instead of the elastic recoil of my first shields, I now had a living creature at my disposal. I should have guessed it sooner, after all the shield was as much a part of me as any of my arms or legs, but only now, through the sheer determination of wanting to fight as well as protect, was I finally able to manipulate it at will. I could see that with this new shield I wouldn't have to stay still whilst concentrating on protecting the people fighting, I knew without a doubt that as my family and friends fought the Volturi my shield would stay with them on its own accord, not only that but I also instinctually knew that this shield could rip and tear even the diamond hard skin of the strongest vampire whilst keeping those I loved safe from harm.

Seth's muffled protest and confused grunt luckily didn't rouse much suspicion, Edward however was looking at me like I'd just grown an extra head. 'shhh' I whispered conspiratorially, I didn't want the Volturi to clue in to my even greater growth in power and new ability to attack. He just blinked a few times then focused back on the Volturi, the confusion of those who'd witnessed the exchange probably didn't have any idea it meant that my power had grown even more, and they were on our side anyway so I didn't mind their suspicion.

They would see soon enough, when I personally made sure that the smirk growing on Jane's face would be wiped off permanently.

I was ready, fed up of Aro's transparent games and utterly ridiculous attempts at convincing his audience of our guilt. By their faces I could tell that they now knew us to be innocent of all crimes he spouted, I knew they wouldn't fight us, they wouldn't fight the Volturi either, but at least they were safe, for now. If the Volturi won they would probably be silenced from spreading the news of Aro's obvious corruption, we just had to make sure the Volturi were in smoking remains then.

Aro and the other members of his guard were still involved in their so called deliberations, Alice and Jaspers smiles of reunion were replaced by grimaces of anticipation, even Nahuel and his aunt seemed ready to fight.

'So…' Aro's scraping voice rang out, everyone's eyes on him now. 'It appears that there is even more than meets the eye to our supernatural possibilities, as we can see this here wonder is not an immortal child, and by the looks of our newcomer she may grow to dazzle us even further in her maturity. However, 7 years of growth? Surely too fast to avoid suspicion, and I see through dear Edward's thoughts that these golden eyed ones are actually fraternising with the newborn's own human father.' A hiss escaped from both mine and Caius' mouths, mine from the idea of Aro seeing my father as a liability, and Caius' in outrage.

'But he does not know of Vampires!' Carlisle pleaded; it seemed to fall on death ears. 'Enough!' Caius snarled, 'it is enough that he has seen the changes in the newborn and on top of that witnessed the existence of the half-breed, do you seriously value the life of one insignificant human over the safety of our secret?'

'It's not like that' I spoke, barely above a whisper, Caius glared at me as I spoke, 'Oh please' he simpered sarcastically, 'do go on'.

I took in a breath and continued, 'He doesn't know the truth and even so, he would never dream of telling anyone even if he did guess something!'

Caius' retort was cut off by Aro's pale hand, 'Regardless young one, that, amongst your other crimes and your obvious display of disregard to our authority cannot be abided, hand over yourself, your mate, child and your lovely sister in law and pledge to join us and we may spare the rest of your coven, your _witnesses_ however' he continued, emphasising the word 'witnesses', 'your witnesses should know that they have chosen their allegiance and for that they must pay penance.'

Outrages hisses rippled out from our entire group, even Renesmee, who was until a minute ago incapacitated with fear at the Volturi, let out her own little snarl. The wolves accompanied with a rumbling of growls, it almost sounded like thunder, or perhaps that was the tempest brewing overhead from Ben's own fury at the Volturi. His angered expression mirrored perfectly the sky's growing storm.

It was coming, we could all feel it. The fighters of the Volturi, especially Felix, were gearing up for the battle to come, almost smirking at the idea of getting through my mental shield, unknowing of its full power. Likewise, Emmett had a savage look to his face that was almost beautiful, his eagerness for the imminent fight shining in his golden eyes.

We were all ready, each side awaiting the other to strike; it seemed like hours passed with us all standing there, Aro awaiting our inevitable refusal to his false offer. We knew he wouldn't let any of us live, and those who survived would probably be very conveniently those whom he desired to join him. There was no way we would allow that.

Surprisingly it was Esme who spoke first; we were all expecting either Carlisle or Edward or hell, even myself, to decline his outrageous proposal. The hatred in her voice was so unlike the motherly tones I was used to hearing from her as she began her tirade against Aro's offer.

'You old fool, you know nothing of our family. You think us strange for loving one another and claim your own controlling hold on your guard is a true coven. You will never take any of us, and we would never willingly go to you. Neither, will we stand by while you threaten ourselves or our allies, you'll have to crawl over my shrivelled corpse before I let you touch a hair on any person's head. And trust me, I WILL put up a fight'. She crouched into a position that spoke of her absolute willingness to tear them limb from limb and only grunted when the shocked eyes of every person on our side took in this complete stranger. Even Aro, who had seen through Edward's memories how caring she was seemed completely shocked by this sudden change in character.

His expression quickly morphed into one of feigned sorrow, 'very well my dear friends, it seems that you have made your choice, I only wish that by the end those of you who survive will come willingly to my side. Ciaus, if you will'.

Carlisle looked at Aro, and as if reading his intention, spoke to our group, 'those of you who wish to fight may stay, the rest of you may wish to leave for it is about to get very messy here.' Surprisingly, only a few left but the rest of our group seemed intent on staying, their lethal glares fixed upon the Volturi.

'Jake NOW' I whispered frantically, he gave me one long, agonising look which was mirrored in Renesmee's tear filled eyes, 'I love you' I choked out and then he sprinted back into the woods. Hopefully by the time the battle ensued he'd be at a safe enough distance. I was pained to see him go, but on the off chance we didn't survive, I needed to know my Renesmee would be safe. It was the only way to ensure it.

Here it was, the moment we were all dreading, Ciaus lifted his hand towards the air with agonising slowness and in it we could see an object similar to the other one, a small metallic disc on which there were intricate carvings only slightly different than the last one. This was the signal; I knew he was telling the guard to prepare to battle...

**A/N: I'm going to try and avoid too many cliff hangers but this is only a little one so I'm sorry.**


	2. Battle

We all steadied for battle, some crouched low in defensive stances, others, like Kate and Garrett, faced their opponents with complete readiness to rip and tear.

The first wave was obviously a distraction; they meant to scatter us so that their key fighters could get underneath my shield, not on my watch. Before they got past the halfway mark I whipped up the edges of my shield causing the remnants of Alec's mist to blow outwards. I visualised the power of my shield like the branches of some possessed tree, the tentacle like branches of my power wrapping around each member of the coming attack and ripping them all in two, I mentally threw the severed parts of the vampire bodies, still alive, over to the wolves on the edge of our group to finish off.

Complete silence rang out through the clearing, shock the predominant emotion on each person's face. There was no doubt it was me who had done that, my power which was before invisible was now like a swirling mist that twisted and writhed outwards from me, it was there but not there at the same time. In no way diminishing our ability to see through it yet concrete in its presence.

Edward's face was almost comical in its disbelief, 'holy mo…what…how…' he stuttered, Carlisle looked a mixture of awed and curious whilst Alice just gave me a knowing look, she must have seen this as a possibility. Trust Alice. Aro meanwhile looked for the first time since the wolves had appeared utterly dismayed, it's like he was only just realising that he could seriously loose the battle ahead of him. My snarl widened into a macabre grin as I stared into Jane's horror struck eyes, the smug expression slipping away as she saw the murderous glint in my eye.

Emmett just let out a loud guffaw and readied himself for battle once more, there would be no more time for dancing around the bush, we were here to fight and Aro could see that. Faced with the very real possibility of losing the battle but also knowing he would not be able to turn back now he had come this far against us, he shook himself out of his daze and pointed one bony finger at me, 'kill her' he screeched, all pretence of kindness gone from his voice, 'she is too dangerous to allow to live'. And with those words a wave of hissing figures launched in our direction.

We met them with equal if not greater force, Demitri was the first to reach us, he obviously hoped to break through in the chaos and catch up with Jake and Renesmee. I wouldn't allow that, but before I could move to stop him, as if reading my mind Rose flew forward in a flash of blonde and dragged him to the ground, she was soon joined by Esme who then proceeded to begin ripping his limbs off with loud metallic screeches. I was wondering why Emmett wasn't the one to join Rose in her attack when my answer was given to me by the sight of him and Felix locked in what looked like a fierce battle of strength, both with almost identical looks of maniacal intensity etched upon their faces.

I saw a couple of the Volturi standing still in complete shock, obviously Zafrina had blinded them to the battle and they began carefully pacing to get to safety, Ben wouldn't have it that way. He launched a giant boulder at one of the vampires and it made a sickening crunch against their skull as it hit. The vampire in question launched himself towards whoever was nearest, still unable to see, and that just happened to be Huilen. She barely had time to defend before the distraction of the blinded vamp allowed for another member of the guard to rip of her head. It was so fast I could barely believe it, with a pain filled bellow Nahuel launched himself at the Volturi member and started ripping him to pieces in an animalistic rage. If I'd have expected his human side to be a weakness I didn't now, he was savage in his speed and brutality, the vampire he was attacking had no escape, I only felt bad that he hadn't been stopped before he had killed Huilen.

I spun around to witness an astounding sight, two of the Volturi guard were being spun up into the air by a miniature tornado being controlled by Ben, his eyes intent as he sent slivers of air as hard as steel slicing into the vampires, resulting in ripping off several of their limbs. The resultant mess allowed for a couple of the wolves to move in to finish the vamps off, no one had much time to focus on how powerful Ben's gift was, they were all too busy fighting for their lives.

Bizarre figures twisted and weaved around each other in some sort of gruesome dance, it was beautiful in its brutality and I was almost mesmerised by the sight of the angelic looking Tanya embroiled in a wrestling match with a man twice her size as Kate shocked any who dared touch her in her struggle to reach Caius whilst Garret grappled with one of the vampires she'd left in her wake.

The Volturi witnesses were as engrossed with the unbelievable display of fighting before them as I was, I was stunned to see that a few of them, Charles and Makenna in particular, had returned to fight instead of fleeing or watching and were currently joined in ripping apart some of the weaker members of the guard.

My brief pause in the commotion was short lived though, as, spotting that I wasn't in combat, Alec launched himself in my direction, without his power I'd have assumed his fighting style would be lazy because his ability would have allowed for him to easily take out the enemy whilst they lay powerless at his mercy. That wasn't happening though, his power was useless on us as my shield branched off in countless directions, expanding and contracting around my family and friends as their opponents were left outside of my protection. He snarled low and menacing as he approached me, I mirrored his stance and we began to circle each other, I could see Edward looking over to me, wishing he could protect but caught in his own battle with a woman that more resembled a bear than a vampire.

He hurled himself at me, hands curled into granite claws, obviously intent on my throat. All the time training with the Cullens had drilled into me how to react and I instinctively countered his attack by rolling as he landed, causing him to lose his grip on me and land beneath me. We rolled together on the snow packed ground slashing at each other with our clawed hands. It oddly reminded me of the way two girls would fight in high school, like a couple of cheerleaders in love with the same jock.

We continued like that for a while, neither of us able to gain the upper hand, because whilst I had all that newborn strength running through my veins, he obviously had more battle experience than me. Finally, a howl ripped through the air and I looked up to see two large wolves barrelling towards us, and Alec, being briefly on top in our fight looked up in horror as two of the wolves, Sam judging by the blackness of his fur and Leah perhaps, it looked like her, simultaneously dragged him off me.

They began a beautifully choreographed routine as they circled the now petrified Alec, I turned away to focus on the rest of chaos as I knew Alec would soon be dead, and sure enough, the tell-tale scraping sound of vampire skin being torn accompanied by growls soon followed. I was shocked to see how well Leah and Sam were able to fight, I'd assumed with all the emotional turmoil in their past that they would have a problem fighting side by side, hmm, must be a wolf thing.

Looking around now I could take a quick stock of who was and wasn't dead. I was thankful to see that all of the Cullens were still fighting, I couldn't tell about the rest of our group but it seemed to me that they were also holding their own. So far several fires had been helpfully started by some of the 'witnesses' from the Volturi side, figures were chucking pale white body parts into the blazing flames whilst trying to stay out of the way of the battle. I guess it was there way of apologising for believing the worst of us in the beginning without having to fight the Volturi themselves.

From the looks of the remains and the scatterings of torn Volturi robes around the fires I could see that the wives were dead, that was to be expected, what with the guard focused on the Cullens and them being the weakest. Next I saw the familiar figure of Seth in his wolf form finishing off what appeared to be Chelsea, it also appeared that Emmett's fight with Felix was going in his favour as Felix was currently missing an arm and looked about ready to pass out. Emmett crunched his knuckles in his hand menacingly and for the first time Felix actually looked afraid, it made him look like a scared little boy.

Alice appeared to be besting most of her opponents, with Jasper at her side, with her view of the future and Jasper's fighting experience they were picking off even the most intimidating looking of Volturi guards.

It was almost fun to watch but I didn't linger, I was concerned about the absence of Jane, I knew that vindictive little bitch had to be here somewhere and I had a feeling I'd know if she'd have been taken out.

No sooner had that thought entered my mind when I heard a piercing shriek, I knew that sound, it was the sound of someone being burned alive from the inside out, it was undoubtedly a victim of Jane.


	3. Jane

I ran in the direction of the noise and found a sight that made me seethe in anger. Across the clearing, alongside one of the fire pits the witnesses had set up, was Jane and one of the more burly members of the guard, Santiago I believed, who had hold of a young vampire man in crippling grip that I doubted he even Emmett could get out of.

He was struggling to break free whilst his eyes were fixed upon the figure on the ground a few feet in front of him. The figure was a young female vampire; the resemblance between them was such that they must have been brother and sister, both with long raven black hair olive complexions beneath their vampire paleness. She was writhing on the floor in obvious agony; by her feet lay one pale white arm, on it a ring with the distinct markings of the Volturi guard upon it.

'Why do you have my brother's arm?' screeched Jane in her high pitched voice, another pulse of pain shot through the young vampire and she shrieked in agony. It was obvious that the girl had been in the process of burning the remains of Alec after the wolves had done with him. I felt a pang of sorrow for her, she had technically been trying to help us, in my haste to protect my family I had neglected to cover those members of the witnesses who were helping with my shield. I reached out with my power and felt the mist-like shield swirling up and accommodating my wishes, it crept up to the vampire couple and, ignoring Jane and Santiago, cloaked the two innocent vampires in a barely visible blanket of my power.

My presence must have finally gotten through to Jane at this point because she slowly turned around, her red gaze penetrating mine. She smiled a satisfied smile and held her hand out over the young girl, it looked like she was about to torture her some more as the young vampire's eyes grew wide and she whimpered in deadly anticipation. Her smirk faded as her attempt failed, she frowned in concentration as she tried again to use her gift.

'You can't touch her Jane, she's under my protection, I won't let you hurt them anymore'. I spoke, quietly, the anger in my voice causing my words to shake ever so slightly.

'You stupid bitch!' She replied, clearly incensed that I had prevented her sick little power play, she glared at me as if she wanted me to burn where I stood.

'Your brother's dead Jane, I saw it, he's in pieces and now you two are never going to hurt people again', Mr. muscle just looked between the two of us, obviously becoming a vampire hadn't helped much on the intelligence front, a deeply confused expression settled across his face, he was clearly wondering why Jane hadn't killed me where I stood yet. As his focus on us increased his iron grip on the male vampire must have lessened because in the next second he had struggled free and crawled to his sister and was cradling her in his arms.

By the time Santiago had realised his mistake and leapt forward to grab the man a growl stopped him in his tracks. Surrounding him were three wolves that I thought resembled Seth, Quil and Embry, a little worse for wear but thankfully still looking strong. He started to back away but Jasper was at his back, 'Where do you think you're going?' he asked in his gentle southern twang, the softness of his voice not diminishing the underlying menace of his tone.

'You okay Bells?' he asked, not tearing his eyes from Santiago. 'Yeah, let me deal with Jane, you sort over there out' I said, moving slowly backwards as Jane followed my movement in a trance, obviously the news of Alec's death had her shocked, though I had no doubt she'd return to her senses in time to give me a fun fight, I wouldn't feel as satisfied if she didn't have that evil smirk to smack off her face. I took advantage of her distraction to manoeuvre her away from the wolves and Jasper so they could have space to fight.

Around us the sounds of battles were still going strong, I could sense Edward, Kate and Garrett taking down one of the Guard, I didn't know who but from the shrieks she sounded female, it felt like Renata, I could feel her own shield flickering as she tried to get it up around her, useless against my own though. Well that was the question of how our shields would compare to each other answered, I was surprised she could fight though. I took my attention away from their grappling, I knew Edward would have her dealt with in no time and I needed to get started with my fight with Jane, especially as the wolves and Jasper were giving Santiago a run for his money and the ensuing noise had caused her to come out of her stupor a little.

'He's dead?' she muttered, almost forlorn looking until I noticed the spark of something else in her eye, behind the grief she was…happy? Was this perhaps an attempt to manipulate me, I thought about it for a second but was interrupted when she fell to her knees and started sobbing…okay.

'No, no, no, no, no' she looked up at me and again behind the sorrow I saw a glint of maliciousness, I was pretty sure she was going to try to play me, I thought I may as well see where she was going with this, I knew she'd turn and try to kill me though, only a matter of time

'Yes, he's dead, I'm sorry but you both knew what you were doing' I did feel bad for her, after all they were twins, closer than most siblings, but I knew that they were both as sadistic as each other and enjoyed to torture those weaker than themselves, so the barest glint of sympathy was the only thing I would give her. She looked up at me and I could see in her eyes that she thought she had me, she really thought I would let my guard down around her because of her false sorrow. I could see now past the act that she genuinely didn't care about Alec, he was her brother and she felt some emotion for him but beyond a tool for her own cruel games she didn't mind that he was dead.

The only reason she was so angered at the young vampire who was disposing of his body parts was because it meant that her own power base was weakened. I could see the sick little cogs in her mind turning, thinking she had me where she wanted me. I wasn't fooled.

'I truly believe you regret you actions' I lied easily, 'if you fight with us we could easily win', her eyes lit up with wicked light and as expected she nodded enthusiastically.

'I'd need to get under your shield though' she said in girly, simpering tones 'in order to be protected from Aro and Caius', she looked up at me sure that she had me exactly where she wanted me.

I made a show of smiling and concentrating, 'there' I said 'you can fight with us now, I'm protecting you'. She leapt up with lightning speed, her oh so humble smile morphed into a smirk of sadistic anticipation, 'perfect' she growled…and then faltered, her smile began to fade as I remained standing through what was obviously supposed to be an onslaught of burning agony.

'Oops' I said, and grinned as she leapt towards me, now the act was over we could get to the real fun, I readied myself for her attack and oh boy did she not disappoint. We rolled and kicked, leaping at each other one minute and circling the next. She spun at me, aiming for my neck but I easily sidestepped and grabbed her arm. Years of incapacitating enemies with her mind had made her slower, unlike her brother she probably hadn't bothered to keep up with training for battles, it was sad really. I tightened my grip and placed my other arm on her shoulder to get the right leverage and in a move that caused deafening metallic screeches I ripped her left arm off at the socket.

It was almost comical, it reminded me of the scene in that Monty Python movie that Edward and I watched on our honeymoon. I didn't have time to laugh though because she came at me again, despite her laziness she had a lot of energy, but with my newborn strength she was no match. I spun around and knocked her to the ground, with one hand I snapped the fingers on her remaining hand, so vampire bones could break, with enough force it seemed.

She knew she was gone and I saw that same maniacal grin spread across her face, 'you won't win you know, Aro will still hunt you sweet little half-breed down, I only wish I could see your pathetic face when you see your pride and joy murdered in front of your own eyes' she started laughing and I saw red, I grabbed her head and twisted, with the scraping of granite snapping and a lot of force I rose with the her lifeless head in my hands, the gleeful smirk still stretched across her face. 'Urgh' I said in disgust and chucked it in the fire.


	4. Marcus

'Check you out' I heard from behind me, I hadn't noticed anyone approach and I berated myself for being off guard. It was only Jasper and Emmet though, apparently in my little dance with Jane the battle had died down as the remaining members of the Volturi guard were being picked off one by one.

I was a little upset at missing most of the action because of my childish games but as long as Edward was okay I was happy, I briefly looked around and spotted him with Carlisle, looking into the faces of Aro and Caius who were being held down by various members of our group, they were obviously waiting for us, oops again.

'You did good Bella' Jasper said beside me as we tossed various bits and pieces into the fires on our way to the rest of the family. 'I spose' I replied, 'she just got me so angry that I saw red for a moment, I could have probably helped more in the main battle if I hadn't screwed around with her for so long'.

'Whatever Bells, you know everyone's just gonna be jealous that you're the one that got to wipe that smug look off her face, we all hated her', I couldn't help agree with him and felt a bit happier, but I still felt tired and pissed that it had to come this far.

We approached the rest of the Cullens and Edward practically slammed into me, he smothered me in a passionate kiss that would have sucked the breath out of me if I needed to breathe anymore.

'What was that for?' I asked when Carlisle's impatient cough broke through our little bubble, he gazed down at me with eyes swimming in love, 'because I love you and I'm relieved that you're alive, I hated not being able to protect you but it seemed that every other member of the guard wanted to kill me'. I couldn't help but giggle at that, it must have been the biggest understatement of the century.

'So…' Carlisle began, happy to have our attention again, 'what do you want to do about these two', gesturing down at the figures of Aro and Caius as Garrett, Ben, Kate, Nahuel and Eleazar held them down.

'Why haven't you killed the muts yet?' Caius demanded, 'I thought you just needed them to fight.'

'We wouldn't dream of hurting the wolves, they are our allies and friends, some of them even family. It is only people like you who have no respect for others that think of them as either tools or pests' Edward answered calmly, I noticed a few of the pack members who had already phased back to human form look at him oddly then, it was as if they only just realised that the Cullens really _could_ be trusted. Funny that nearly dying together is what it would take for some of them to come around to the whole 'not all vampires are evil' way of thinking.

'Then you are all traitors to our kind and deserve to die with them' spat Caius, I found it both funny and irritating that he hadn't yet realised that him and Aro were truly at our mercy and we had won, well almost won, I wouldn't feel able to breathe that long awaited sigh of relief until Aro and Ciaus had joined the rest of the guard in the still smouldering fires dotted throughout the clearing.

As if reading my mind Tanya spoke up, 'you don't get it do you Ciaus?' she leant down to peer into their faces, 'it's over, we won, all of Volterra has fallen, _all _Caius, the mistake Aro here made in insisting that _everyone_ come to view our punishment' she spat the word punishment, emphasising the ridiculousness of the Volturi's act, 'because you all came, now you are all _dead, _apart from you and Aro here, but don't worry, the only reason you're still alive is to see if you have any last words of wisdom to leave us with' the anger in her eyes was palpable, it was obvious she was still seeing the face of her sister Irena before Caius had her killed.

Well said I thought, I felt it was my turn to chime in, Edward looked ready drop and Carlisle just looked, sad, I could tell he was troubled by the fact that the coven he had lived with back in his earlier days were the ones responsible for such a long period of suffering for his family. I looked at him asking a silent question and he nodded, it was time to end this. I stepped in front of Aro and Caius, 'Aro, you've been quiet' I remarked, the weariness of the battle making my words feel hollow.

We were disturbed by the sound of branches snapping, I spun around to find myself looking at Marcus standing at the edge the clearing about ten feet away from me, Emmett and Jasper were about to pounce when Edward yelled for them to stop.

I looked at him confused, wasn't Marcus our enemy? Now that I thought back on it, where had he been for the entire battle, I hadn't seen him once, he seemed to have disappeared after Aro decided to fight us.

'He's not here to fight, he comes in peace' Edward said, looking at Marcus. 'Maybe you should explain Marcus.'

He took a deep breath, looking only momentarily at Aro and Caius still being held in place, 'I no longer wish to a part of the joke that is the Volturi…' he began and I thought back to how utterly bored he always looked whilst Aro and Caius were talking, 'a long time ago I was happy, truly happy. I had a mate named Didyme, she was Aro's birth sister and nothing in the world compared to how I felt when I was with her.'

Aro then made an odd sound and Edward growled a little bit but let Marcus continue, 'we both grew tired of being in the Volturi, not wishing for the power that Aro was pursuing and only wanting to be alone in our love together. We made plans to leave and were even given a blessing to be free by Aro and Caius but she was killed by a rogue member of the guard who had then been destroyed by Aro, but it was too late. My world had gone, and with it all the happiness she had given me, not through her ability to create happiness, which was her gift, but in the way that every moment I had with her was now gone. It made me empty'

'I have no desire to fight you Cullens, I feel nothing for the idea of power and I won't stop you from killing Aro and Caius, I can see that they deserve to die but I don't much care. I only want you to let me be free to be in peace and go.'

He started to walk off across the clearing but Edward stopped him, 'wait! There is something I think you need to know first. Do you want to tell him or should I? Aro.'

Aro looked up from his crouched position and shook his head ever so slightly, 'I don't know what you're talking about Edward, what is there that I need to say to Marcus, it is obvious he has betrayed us out of his own laziness.'

'Well I was thinking that he had a right to know how his mate really died…' for the first time since I'd first seen him in Italy I saw Marcus display emotion, shock flooded his face filling the usually passive lines, 'what are you talking about, she was killed by a rogue member of the Volturi!'

'Yes' Aro hissed, 'she was killed by a rogue, and I killed him when I found out'.

'But is that what really happened Aro, because your mind is telling me something completely different, what your mind is telling is that you found out about her plans to leave with Marcus and then killed her, your own sister, all so that Marcus would stay in Volterra and aid your quest for power.' Edward said as we all stood there shocked. I knew that Aro was twisted but to kill your own sister just because she wanted to be happy with her mate. What Aro did was sick on so many levels, keeping Marcus by his side whilst knowing what he had done. I was seething.

A tirade of emotions burst through Marcus usually apathetic façade, shock, rage, betrayal, grief, sorrow and disgust all flashed across his face in a matter of seconds, after being numb for so many years, the pain he must be feeling at this outburst of sensation. I wanted to rip Aro's head off just for what he'd done.

'IS THIS TRUE?' Marcus screeched, shaking as he stared down at the figure of Aro. 'You don't understand brother; she was going to ruin everything, all the power gone, just for her own selfish needs. I had to make sure you stayed by my side even without Chelsea keeping you loyal.'

Then Marcus screamed, the sound was so full of pain I didn't know whether to cover my ears or cry. By now everyone had their attention on the scene and I could see in their faces that they too could feel Marcus' pain; people who would usually look at this member of the Volturi guard with fear were now trembling with silent sobs at the power of his anguish.

I saw red, focusing on my shield and flexing it like a hand I wrapped a tendril around each finger and then proceeded to rip them off one by one, my savage fury from how much he had petrified my daughter combined with my disgust at his treatment of Marcus and I ripped his ears and nose off too.

'Bella stop!' someone yelled and grabbed my arms to grab my attention. The red haze lifted and I saw Jasper looking at me, an equal look of rage on his face but he was controlling it, I forced myself to calm down the storm of emotion inside of me and patted his hands to show I was okay.

'I think if anyone is going to kill him, it should be Marcus' said Edward, at this Marcus looked over to us and nodded his head, his emotions no longer a tempest but not apathetic either, he looked more human now. Like maybe now he knew the truth he could finally grieve over his love's death.

He walked over to Aro and gripped his head in his hands, 'd…don't, I'm your brother…' Aro rasped but Marcus just glared down at him and hissed, 'no you're not, you're a monster and you disgust me' and with that he ripped his head off and threw it to the ground.

I nodded to Emmett, signalling for him to end Caius' existence as well. He and Jasper were chucking the body parts of the leaders of the Volturi into the fire when Marcus walked past me.

'Where are you going now?' I asked quietly, 'To be at peace' he sighed and disappeared into the woods.


	5. Pledge

**A/N: Should I make my chapters longer? I've noticed this is a problem because I tend to start a new chapter when it feels natural in the plot but sometimes it feels a bit short, let me know what you think.**

We all stayed there, in the clearing, making sure that we'd gotten every last one and disposed of all the parts. The victory hadn't sunken in yet, we couldn't believe that not only had we completely beaten the Volturi but we'd also managed to keep all but two of our allies safe, the deaths of Huilen and Mary the nomad weighed heavily on our minds.

'More would have died if it wasn't for your power' Edward said softly when I shared my sorrow at being unable to save everyone with him, 'you're the reason why we won today'. 'Huh?' I replied, clueless as to how I could have been responsible for our victory, I mean I was the one stopping all the mental attacks but they did all the fighting.

'You really don't get it do you?' he stared at me in shock, 'Bella! Not only did you manage to keep almost everyonesafe from mental attacks but you also increased your power so that it was a lot harder for them to use physical attacks either.'

'On top of that you managed to be able to throw full grow vampires around using your shield like some weird possessed octopuss' Emmett added and threw his arm over my shoulder.

'Hell yeah Bells, why didn't you tell us you'd gotten that powerful, it scared that crap out of me when you grabbed my leg' Seth piped up from his sprawled out position on the grass.

'Ah I'm sorry Seth, I did tell Jake to warn you to not panic, I just needed to test out my hunch and you seemed like a good guinea pig' I said smiling.

'Nah it's alright, hell, it just tickled is all' he said giving me his goofy grin.

We all laughed, the mood seemed to be picking up and everyone was coming towards the group to debrief, or something along those lines, whatever the vampire version was. I couldn't feel quite happy enough to join in their jubilant mood until I had my daughter in my arms again.

'What's taking Jake and Nessie so long?' I asked Edward, he turned his attention towards me and looked into the distance for a second, I knew this look, he was searching for someone's mind, 'he'll be here in about 30 seconds' he said smiling as I shot up faster than lightning and started hopping up and down in anticipation.

'Stop laughing at me, I just wanna hold my baby again' I huffed at him in response but I could see the funny side. I was positively vibrating in excitement when I heard the tell-tale sign of big wolf paws stomping through the forest. In what seemed like forever, but was more likely only a couple of seconds, my daughter and Jake finally appeared, she squealed so loudly that what was left of the snow on the trees quivered and fell to the ground. I laughed and ran forward to catch her mid jump as she buried her face in my hair.

She looked up at me with tears streaming down her face, she'd obviously been crying since Jake left with her and her face was ruddy with the after effects. I held on to her tightly and rocked her gently, her smell was intoxicating after thinking I'd never see her again. I was astonished at how could have ever wanted to harm my little angel.

Soon enough Edward and Jacob joined in the hugging, then after a minute along came Esme, Carlisle, Rose, and Alice, even Emmett and Jasper got a little gooey; if we could have we would have been crying tears of joy.

'Momma…' her little voice timidly rose above the press of family. 'Yes honey' I smiled down at her. 'Is it re….really…over?' she asked, as if afraid this was all some big illusion that would crumble away in a second, I understood how she felt, I often found myself thinking I'd wake up from this dream.

'Yes Nessie, it's all over now, we're safe, and you're safe. We can be a family again' I answered her, the resultant smile shone more brightly than a million stars. At that point it clicked, it really was over. As if sharing my thoughts, every single person had the same response, after a moment of contemplation we all started cheering like insane children, the wolves were howling, couples were locked in passionate embraces left, right and centre. Even Alice and Jasper who were usually subdued caused the normally shameless Emmett to yell 'Get a room'.

This of course resulted in him and Jasper chasing each other around like a couple of kids, you would never have guessed that we'd just had the fight of our lives. Battle scars were now nothing compared to our happiness at this point but in time.

But there was an undercurrent of uncertainty beneath the revelry. What was going to happen now, sure the Volturi were gone but despite their corruption, they did serve a vital role. Who was going to lead the vampire race now, what if this meant that groups of vampires would feel free to run rampant with complete disregard to any rules whatsoever.

'Carlisle' I called him over, 'yes Bella honey' he asked, still beaming ear to ear. 'Have you thought of what's going to happen now, I mean, technically you're the new power if you think about it.'

'Ha, yes I have been thinking about that' he laughed 'I have'. I was curious but I trusted Carlisle so I assumed he'd have come up with a good alternative to us becoming the next Volturi, I didn't think we'd suit being a frightening force wrapped in darkness inside some Italian castle, didn't really seem our style.

'Don't worry' Edward's voice whispered in my ear, I gave him a questioning look and he chuckled then looked over at his father, 'I've seen what he's thinking of and it seems like a really good idea'.

'It's going to work' Alice's voice trilled like music to my ears, 'whatever he's planning is going to bring a lot more understanding for us all' she continued mysteriously, she was like a walking fortune cookie our Alice, it annoyed me to no end but I still loved her.

'Alice…' I began, but she just gave me a look, 'I know what you're going to say and yes, it was necessary for you to believe we would lose and that Jasper and I had abandoned you all. Otherwise you wouldn't have put up a fight, and I wouldn't have been able to find Nahuel, I'm sorry but it was for your own good, you had to be prepared for the worst case scenario'.

'Are you a mind reader as well now?' I asked, shocked that she had so easily guessed my train of thought, 'no' she smiled 'you're just ridiculously easy to read' and with that she stuck out her tongue and twirled away back to Jasper. I couldn't help but laugh; there was nothing that could keep me mad at her for long.

'You are very easy to read sometimes' Edward laughed and I elbowed him in the ribs, that turned into a very energetic tickle fight and that in turn evolved into an inevitable make out session. I couldn't believe how much I wanted him all the time. I'd been expecting at least a year of only being able to think about the thirst for blood, I must be some kind of super vamp, I thought happily as I indulged in Edward's soft embrace.

We were interrupted by a husky laugh as Jacob obnoxiously cleared his throat while Nessie sat on his shoulders, giggling hysterically at our embarrassed faces.

'Hey my little Nessie, you having fun?' I asked, ignoring Jacob's knowing look at my final acceptance of the nickname I used to hate.

'Yeah! I met Nahuel, he was a bit sad so I showed him a picture of the rainforest that Zafrina showed me, it cheered him up but he's still upset. He said he was happy to see me though and said that maybe I could meet his sisters one day'. She looked happy at the prospect of meeting more people like her but sad that Nahuel had lost his aunt Huilen, I understood how she felt. It was hard to think that we'd lost one of our happy group, when everyone else seemed unscathed. I could only wish that I could kill the Volturi again for their loss but it was useless to dwell on the sadness, instead I hoped that Nahuel could find a new home, perhaps with us.

I was interrupted in my line of thought by the appearance of a small and beautiful young vampire with waist length raven black hair; she must have been the woman that Jane was torturing before I got to her. I hadn't seen her face but I recognised her brother, he seemed ecstatic that his sister was safe again.

They grinned at me and you could really see the resemblance between them, Edward looked at me questioningly but must have gotten his answer from their minds because he looked at me proudly. I scoffed and faced the two newcomers.

'Hi' I spoke first; I observed her eyes were golden, I hadn't noticed before, so they must be vegetarians. Interesting, I thought, I liked them instantly.

'I'm Katlyn and this is my brother Eric' she said in a soft and beautiful voice, 'hi' her brother said sheepishly, he was cute, they both looked about nineteen or twenty but the grins on their faces made them seem like children on Christmas day, why were they smiling like that, it seemed to be more than just the good mood of our victory, if I didn't know any better I'd equate it to the way someone looks at a famous person.

Without any warning Edward suddenly burst out laughing, obviously someone was about to do or say something that I wouldn't like and he was laughing pre-emptively. I rolled my eyes at him but turned back to the pair a little more suspiciously than before.

Before I could say anything else to them they both fell to their knees and bowed their heads to me, I had no idea what on earth was going on but by the amused looks of the Cullens and some of the other covens meant I was about to find out.

Eric was the first to speak, in a loud clear voice so uncharacteristic of his previously shy manner he began, 'I, Eric Blake and my sister Katlyn Blake herby wish to pledge our fealty to the vampire known as Isabella Cullen, we both oath our unconditional loyalty and by our blood as vampires swear to live by your wish and your wish alone.'

There was only one thought running through my mind; what the hell was that?


	6. Minions

**A/N: Here we go boys and girls, a slightly longer chapter!**

**The 'queen Isabella' bit is from a comment made by LordXeenTheGreat, it had a ring to it so I put it in there for fun.**

**I'd also like to thank acrobat24 for giving me a review that made me feel all warm and squishy with happy feelings : )**

**I'm also trying to make the paragraphs longer, but the problem is that I'm writing it in word so even if they're of adequate length in my original document,they still get sort of stretched out when I upload them on here. Sorry if you feel they're too short.**

**Enjoy.**

I watched in confusion as Eric and Katlyn then proceeded to stand and looked at me expectantly; I had no idea what on earth was going on with these two, but the doubled over figures of Edward and Emmett told me I wouldn't like it one bit, only Nessie, Jake and the Quileutes mirrored my confusion with the sudden display of oaths and pledges.

'Umm, what was that' I asked hesitantly, Edward straightened up and came to my side; 'well…' he began, clearly enjoying himself, 'you see, Katlyn and Eric here have just pledged their fealty to you, which, in the vampire world, is the highest of honours.'

I still looked confused so he rolled his eyes and tried again, 'if a vampire feels immense gratitude towards another vampire, they can, by ancient law, pledge themselves to that vampire's service for the rest of their lives or until the vampire releases them'.

'What…wait, they just decided out of the blue that I'm what, their _master_?' I stuttered, completely and utterly shocked, Emmet was still laughing, he'd now been joined by Jacob now that everyone knew what had just happened. 'Why?' I asked Eric, completely confused as to their sudden weird devotion to me, he looked at his sister fondly and then spoke softly

'You saved our lives, whilst we, being witnesses for the Volturi, had done nothing to deserve it' Eric explained.

'You came and protected us when you heard me scream' Katlyn whispered and her brother gently squeezed her shoulder as she shuddered at the memory, 'even though we had been your enemies, you still went up against the members of the guard who were harming us, for that we can never repay your kindness.'

'We wanted to show you our gratitude; we've never really come across a vampire who showed as much compassion, let alone one who would willingly endanger themselves for the sake of two strangers. So…we decided to pledge our loyalty' Eric summed up, as if it was to their sudden declaration of loyalty was an everyday occurrence. They were both so innocent looking as they smiled at me, obviously under the impression that their explanation would cause me to immediately understand such a bizarre way of showing gratitude. Whatever happened to sending a box of chocolates and a thank you card I wondered?

There was no way I could accept their fealty or whatever it was called, I wasn't being humble, just honest. After all, I'd been after Jane anyway, they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have been anyone really.

'How do I go about releasing them?' I asked Edward quietly and saw their faces fall in response. I didn't know why my releasing them would be so dreadful, but by the looks on some people's faces I'd made some sort of faux pas. 'What? What did I say?' I whispered.

'To release them, honey, would be a great insult in the vampire world. It would be like saying that their gratitude is worthless and they are unfit to follow you'. 'Oh' I mouthed then turned back to them, they had worry written all over their faces and, judging my Edwards slightly smug expression, I only had one choice, and I wasn't going to like it. 'How do I accept them?' I whispered in his ear so only he could hear me. He told me my lines and so, reluctantly I turned to face their eagerly awaiting faces.

'I, Isabella Cullen, accept the loyalty of Eric Blake and his sister Katlyn Blake on their vampire blood' I gave Edward an exasperated glance, 'and herby promise to lead you with strength and compassion for the rest of your days' then I kissed them each on their foreheads and pulled them up to their feet. Murmurs and gentle applause trickled out from the watching crowd and I was thankful that my blushing days were over because almost everyone was looking at me with amusement as Katlyn and Eric glued themselves to my side.

If I could have, I would have punched each and every one of my family members, because now everyone, even Carlisle and Esme, were unsuccessfully trying to hold their back laughter. I gave them an eye roll and growled quietly so they knew I wasn't happy with them but this seemed to make them even more entertained. Turning round to face Eric and Katlyn, I tried to prevent myself from audibly groaning and their ridiculously happy looking faces.

'What happens now?' I asked Katlyn, who was giddily bouncing on the balls of her feet as if awaiting her first orders. 'Ohh whatever you want, we don't really have a home because we're nomads but usually the vampire's that pledge move to wherever their master is' she beamed at me.

'Urgh, okay okay!' I groaned, already regretting my decision to accept their ridiculous pledge, if Edward hadn't assured me I had to consent then I would have run away before they knew what happened.

But I was stuck now; as much as I hated it, I now had two people eagerly awaiting their chance to do whatever I told them. Perhaps I could order them to leave me alone for fifty years? Judging by the look Edward gave me he had guessed my thoughts and the look on his face told me it was a bad idea. The last thing I wanted was two depressed vampires moping around.

'Well as for joining us, that's up to Carlisle' I hedged, looking over to Carlisle and hoping he'd get the hint, 'We'd love for you both to join us' he smiled, walking over to Eric and Katlyn. Well there goes my back up I thought and Edward smirked at my obvious dissapointment.

'Fine! I give up' I huffed, already planning ways in which to get my revenge on my grinning family. I span on my feet and began to head back towards Renesmee, when I felt their presence behind me, I ignored it as long as I could but by the time I had gotten to where Nessie and Seth were chasing each other I'd already had enough.

'Look you two, I really am honoured with your gratitude or pledge or whatever and yes, it is nice to have two new family members…' I said, whirling around as they came to a halt behind me, 'especially since my current family are getting on my last nerve' I added, shooting a venomous look at Emmett who had only just managed to stop laughing, 'but if you're going to be sticking around, I need to implement some ground rules, okay? '

'Shoot' replied Eric nervously, obviously concerned that I'd command him to spend the next ten years in women's underwear or something. I briefly considered that as a suitable punishment for all the inconvenience they'd caused me but decided against it, after all, they were just trying to show their appreciation in their own over the top, twisted way.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, 'okay, rule number one; stop following me, it's very distracting and I don't really like the idea of you both acting like my minions. Rule two...' I continued, 'please just call me Bella, not _master_, not _mistress_, not _queen_ _Isabella_ or anything like that okay?' I eyed them suspiciously.

'Got it, anything else..._my liege' _he said wriggling his eyebrows and I couldn't help but let out a laugh, at least they weren't uptight about the whole thing, under any other circumstances I would have really liked them. Despite myself I found myself warming up to the duo. Damn, I thought, they couldn't at least be a little bit unpleasant, I suddenly felt bad about my frustration towards them.

'Yes, there is one last thing…' I replied, trying to dampen down my growing fondness for the pair. 'This whole…_arrangement' _I said, 'is merely a formality; I still want you both to be your own people and not just agree with everything I say. This isn't the middle ages, I want you to have your own lives okay?'

'That seems like a good compromise, but will you at least let me do one thing?' Eric asked and I nodded cautiously, 'depends…' I hedged, as a mischievous grin spread across his face and he glanced at Edward in a conspiratorial way. He performed an elaborate bow, bending down to his feet, 'allow me to be your ever so humble steed' and with vampire quickness I was suddenly cradled in his arms like some medieval damsel in distress, he then proceeded to march dramatically to a nearly hysterical Cullen family as I stayed still in his arms, trying to stop myself from strangling him.

After much spectacle, he placed me on my feet in front of Edward who was grinning wickedly at my outrageous embarrassment. 'What?' Eric asked with feigned innocence, 'I merely wished to prevent her majesty from dirtying her feet' he said when I gave him my best annoyed expression. I had to chuckle at his butter wouldn't melt expression though, he was charming, I'd give him that.

After the giggling died down and I'd punished Emmett and Jacob enough to satisfy my need for revenge, I felt relieved that at least it hadn't been any worse. I was worried that Katlyn and Eric would still be following me around like a couple of lost puppies. But so far, they seemed to have accepted my request and were happily occupied with getting to know the rest of the Cullens.

Alice and Rosalie were already chatting emphatically with Katlyn about various fashion boutiques they had both frequented across the world and Katlyn listened with wonder as Alice described the latest line of evening gowns she'd seen in Milan. I was hoping that maybe Katlyn would take the heat off of me, it was getting tiring being Alice's personal makeover. Likewise, Carlisle and Eric had found they had medicine in common, it turned out that before him and his sister were turned he was their tribe's doctor and from that he had brought into his vampire life the desire to heal others. I even heard Carlisle suggesting that he take an internship at his hospital for a while to see if he liked it, he looked eager at the idea of a full time job and talked enthusiastically with Carlisle about different medical theories and treatments.

We were surrounded by the oddest of groups, the previously distant pack members had a new found camaraderie with the vampires in light of our victory, I watched with amusement as Collin and Brady, two of the youngest of Sam's pack, were desperately trying to convince Jasper to teach them some of the moves he had used against the Volturi. I was relieved that the Quileutes had seemed to have finally abandoned their centuries old animosity towards vampires. Sure they would still be suspicious of other vampires, but it seemed that the alliance between our group and the packs had allowed for greater understanding between us. It was only regrettable that it took something as devastating as the threat of the Volturi to finally take away the prejudice.

Sam and Jacob now appeared to be talking with Carlisle about something, and from the looks on their faces they seemed to be uneasy about something, I moved over to Edward, curious as to what could have them so anxious.

'Carlisle is speaking with them about his vision for how he wants to reform the politics of our kind, now that the Volturi are no longer in power. However, Sam is concerned that those outside of our group will be less willing to allow for a coalition between vampires and the wolves.

'But that's ridiculous!' I said, 'everyone knows that if it wasn't for the pack we may have lost everything today'. I couldn't believe that, even after the battle, some people were still unwilling to associate themselves with the wolves.

'Whilst everyone here today is aware of how much the pack has aided us, you must remember that beyond our group, the wolves are still an unknown factor. We are expecting word to travel of their existence and our alliance, however, there will likely be some vampires who are unwilling to trust them at all' Edward explained.

In some way I understood what he meant, we knew the pack, we had had years to get to know them and had grown to see some of them as family in the past few months. But not all vampires had been able to form a bond with them yet, and they were bound to be frightened of the prospect of aligning themselves with an ancient tribe that were, after all, originally our natural enemies. I still held hope though. With the Volturi gone, the strongest voice against the wolves and hybrids like Nessie and Nahuel was gone too. Our allies and the witnesses would be able to stand as testament to the fact that they were not our enemy but in fact were trusted friends.

It seemed that Carlisle had the same optimism too because I could see him easing Sam's apprehension with his words. 'What exactly is Carlisle's plan now anyway?' I asked Edward who was also focused on the hushed exchange between his father, Jacob and Sam.

'Well, he's got a few ideas running through his head, most of them appear to follow along the same lines though' he answered, 'he visualizes a democracy of sorts, the one thing that he keeps coming back to is the idea of having an elected council who will be a sounding board for people's views, they will also be responsible for guarding against threats and so on. He plans to hold a meeting with as many vampires as he can contact to discuss his ideas with. It'll probably be in a few weeks.'

'That seems fair, instead of the Volturi's dictatorship; everyone will be able to have their opinions heard. I hope it'll work' I whispered, and he smiled down at me, 'so do I love'.

'I already told you two that his plan was going to be a success' Alice's voice rang out as she glided towards us smiling, 'you need stop worrying. I've already seen it work…psychic remember!' she laughed pointing at her head. I really hoped that she was right, although her visions very rarely turned out to be false. What Carlisle was thinking could have the ability to bring so much equality and understanding amongst vampires. We could only pray that everyone else would see it that way.

Either way, it was going to be the beginning of a whole new era for vampire kind, we could only have faith that it would be one of peace.


	7. New Loves and Old Pains

**A/N: This chapter is a lot longer, I got a bit carried away but I really wanted to try and do Eric and Katlyn's story justice. Also, let me know if you like this length of paragraph more, you'll notice they're a lot longer than the ones in the other chapters.**

**ERIC'S POV**

After finally leaving the clearing, most of us went back to the Cullen's house, I suppose I should call it my house now because Katlyn and I were sort of part of the family. Perhaps we weren't as close as the others already were, but I still felt a kinship towards them, despite the short amount time we had known them. I knew a few of the Cullens and their friends thought we were odd for our decision to pledge ourselves to Bella but I still stood by it, regardless of how hilariously uncomfortable it made her. I felt that the only way I could truly show my appreciation for saving my sister from Jane was to present my loyalty to her; likewise I knew that Katlyn saw in her the kindness that our lives had been lacking for so long. It was surreal that from the chaos of the Volturi's so called trial and the ensuing battle, we had been able to find a home, not only that but the home was with a coven that showed such kindness towards others, I could hardly believe that anyone could have wanted to harm them in the first place.

I saw now, in the faces of their allies, how much passion they inspired in people. This family had been able to bring so many people together, vampires who would otherwise have been alone like my sister and I, had been given a place to belong by this family. Those who had come back from the clearing with us, the Denalis and the Irish coven, as well as some of the extraordinary Quileutes, who had been so frighteningly powerful in the battle, were also going to come to the house. Though I was amazed at the existence of Bella's daughter and Nahuel, it was the wolves that held my attention. I was awed by their presence, never before having dreamt of meeting the creatures that so many of the legends I had heard spoke of.

Before I was a vampire, my sister and I had been raised in a tribe much like the one they belonged to. We were told stories of our ancestors taking the forms of animals and protecting our kind. Unlike some vampires, I still remembered a lot of my human life. The nights spent with our families, sat around a roaring fire whilst our elders regaled us with tales of ancient magic and age old battles, were engraved within mine and my sister's memories forever, so much a part of our essential being that it was impossible to forget our origins. I was excited to see more of them, only the two Alphas were here at the moment as the others had gone to tend their wounds or freshen up following the battle, we were told they would be here shortly.

Glancing over at Nahuel, who appeared to be busy talking to Carlisle in detail about his various quirks as a hybrid, I could see that his grief was different to that I could see in Denali's faces as they sat quietly in the corner. I would have expected to have seen more sorrow over the death of his aunt but I had only seen the faintest glimmer of grief in his eyes, for the most part he seemed absorbed in the process of meeting so many new people. I leant over to Edward who was sitting on the couch next to me and whispered so low that only he and Bella would hear.

'Not that I'm judging' I said, 'but how come Nahuel isn't more affected by his aunt's death, she was his companion as a nomad wasn't she?' I asked him, glancing back over towards Nahuel and then back to Edward, I figured if anyone would know then the mind reader would.

'It's okay Eric, it's probably hard to understand from our perspective, but the way Nahuel was raised by his aunt is very different than most people. He was raised in the belief that death is an honour, he believed that her death was part of the cycle of life. In his mind, it only means that she has gone to a better anything, he's happy that she's found peace, after being unwillingly trapped in the life of an immortal' he explained.

I somewhat understood and was about to respond when everyone stilled at the sounds of bare feet approaching the house, my contemplation of death replaced by the eagerness of meeting the pack. A shiver of anticipation ran through me as Carlisle opened the door and one by one they came through the doorway, they all exuded such energy, obviously still buzzed at the recent battle though I suspected that the same energetic aura was part of their natural essence. I watched them as they entered the room, their dark features and russet skin reminding me so much of my own tribe from when I was human. They came in a procession, not all of the pack as I had hoped, but maybe that was a good thing because I had a feeling that the room would burst if we tried to add any more people to it, as it was there were still some people who had to spill out into the kitchen in order to be able to move. I noticed how a lot of the vampires seemed vaguely displeased by the smell, but they were too interested by them to really care.

I had heard that before, some of the vampires were laughing with the Quileutes about their apparent bad smell, according to them it was a part of their natural defence, like if they smelt bad then they wouldn't get hunted by us, not that anyone amongst the Cullens or their allies would want to hunt them after today. I didn't get it though, to me they smelt fine, all with their own individual scents but all sharing a similar, rich and earthy undertone.

One particular scent caused me to do a double take, it had the same forest-like hint that the rest of wolves had but on top of it was another fragrance, one of spring water and freesias that caused me to search the room for this intoxicating scent. My eyes roamed, hunting for the owner as I wheeled in my seat in search of the person, until my eyes finally locked upon them. There, standing in the doorway was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. The fullness of her lips and intensity of her eyes had captured me and I couldn't look away. Even though I didn't need to breathe, I still felt my breaths become faster as I catalogued every inch of the stranger by the door. Exotic in every way, she had warm copper skin and raven black hair that flicked up around her face, as well as a tall frame that made her appear to be both feminine and strong at the same time.

She was staring at me too, a look of complete captivation written across her face as I slowly stood, completely oblivious to the stunned silence that now filled the room. My own expression was a mixture of adoration, awe and curiosity as I paced towards her where she still remained, fixed in place. I needed to know her, every fibre of my being telling me that she was my life now. Everything seemed to break apart into a million pieces only to come back together again in an instant, with her as the centre. I lived for this woman that I hadn't even met yet, I thought back to the clearing and tried to remember whether she had been there, I was pretty confident she wasn't though. She must have gone somewhere after the battle because there was no way I would have been unaware of her presence there. She was mine after all, I don't know how I knew but I just did, this woman had been designed for me and me alone, it was as if I had only been one half of a whole before meeting her and now I was complete.

In what seemed like forever but was more likely only a few seconds, I was in front of her, still intent on holding her gaze. I could have sworn I saw a flush a pink flicker beneath the caramel tones of her cheeks and it made me even more entranced.

'Hello' I whispered, having to open my mouth several times before that one word would come out.

'Hi' she answered and I sure this time that there was a definite flush and I grinned at her.

'I'm Eric' I said as I brushed my fingertips down her arm, letting them linger on her own hand.

'Le…Leah' she stuttered and clasped her hand around my resting fingers, smiling.

She rubbed her thumb on the palm of my hand and felt a jolt of electricity shoot through my body at her touch; I laughed quietly and drank in another dose of her heady scent and she returned my laugh with an intoxicatingly throaty chuckle of her own. Leah, she had said, she was definitely mine for sure, her very essence seemed to scream that it was designed to be the perfect balance to my own, my frozen heart almost began to beat again as she seemed to unconsciously lean into me. I decided to take advantage of it and lowered my head to bring my lips to her ear, pressing my free hand to her neck I placed a tiny kiss just below her ear lobe and smiled when she shuddered.

'I'm pretty sure I love you Leah' I whispered in her ear and felt her pulse speed up in response, she audibly gulped and angled her head to reach my own ear and as her lips brushed my skin that same electric charge shot through me again.

'Ditto' she said and I laughed at her response.

We were broken out of our trance by an amused cough from the sofas and the room suddenly came into focus again as I turned around, still holding Leah's hand, to see a room full of shocked faces. Clearly something was going on and no one understood it, from the feel of the magic that was bonding me to Leah, it felt like how I always imagined the act of binding in my tribe's legends, the way the tales described how our ancestors would find their soul mates, as if a mystic thread was pulling them towards each other and joining them, was how I felt my connection to this beautiful woman could be defined.

'Did they just imprint on each other?' Jacob asked, staring between me and Leah with a confused look on his face.

'No, it can't be, we can't imprint on vampires' the other alpha, Sam, said but he didn't appear too sure.

'I know it's supposed to be impossible but it sure looks like they did, so unfair too, why does my sister get to imprint before I do' a young man said and I looked over at him, I could see the resemblance now I focused on it, all the Quileutes looked similar to each other but these two definitely had the same exotic colouring and tall frames, except on him it looked slightly awkward whereas with Leah it just added to her beauty.

'They have indeed imprinted, I can read it in their minds and I've seen it before with you Jacob, but he keeps referring to it as binding, but it seems like the same thing, Eric, what is binding?' Edward asked me but as I opened my mouth to answer, Katlyn spoke instead.

'It's from a story our elders used to tell us, back when we were human' she said, 'we were in a Cherokee tribe very similar to the Quileutes but this was a long time ago, they had a story they used to tell us, about how our ancestors would find their mates' she said, looking over at the pack before continuing, 'they spoke of how when a member of our tribe met our true mate they would both become immediately bound to each other for eternity, like love at first sight but more powerful' she explained, 'we called it binding'.

'Interesting' Carlisle murmured, and looked over at me, 'this tribe, did you have any other legends similar to the Quileutes?' he asked me.

'Well some…'I said, 'we also heard stories of warriors from the tribe taking the forms of animals in order to protect our tribe, not wolves though' I said, glancing over at the pack, 'they told us how their spirits would manifest in the form of any animal they chose and they would be able to protect the tribe from threats, they also spoke of how the warriors could live eternally, passing on the gift to their sons and daughters so that each new generation would have protectors' I told them as they listened with captivated expressions, 'but I always thought they were only legends because I have no recollection of anyone in my tribe having the gift to take on the form of an animal, but when we came here and I saw the wolves, I knew there must have been some truth to the story after all' I explained.

'That may explain it' said Carlisle, pacing slightly as he thought, 'so if we consider that your tribe, had a similar gene to the one that allows the Quileutes to take the forms of wolves, but your own shifting genes were never activated and instead lay dormant, much like your father, Jacob' he said, pausing to look at Jake who just nodded thoughtfully, 'though it may be latent, that same gene lives on in you, despite having become a vampire. I think that could explain how it's possible for you to imprint' he finished and looked over to Sam for confirmation who seemed to think it was a plausible explanation, I agreed as well, I'd been so caught up in my binding, or 'imprinting' as they had called it, that I hadn't stopped to consider that it should have been impossible given our different kinds, but his theory was logical enough.

'Okay, what Carlisle is saying kind of make's sense now, but doesn't that mean that there could be another group of shifters our there like us? Eric, do you know if your tribe is still around?' Sam asked me.

'I'm not sure…' I answered, 'I do know that the tribe we were a part of lived in Texas, though they were all slaughtered in 1921 so I am not sure if there could be any descendants left today.' I said, the memory of watching my entire tribe killed before my eyes still etched in my mind.

'Is that how you were turned? Did vampires kill your tribe because you were all shifters?' the wolf named Embry asked and jumped when Sam hit him on the arm in response to his question.

'Sorry Eric, Embry here still doesn't understand that some vampires don't like to be questioned about how they were created' Sam said, glaring back at Embry.

'It's okay; I don't see a problem talking about it. We were not attacked by vampires though, even some of the worst of our kind cannot compare to the evil that some humans brought upon each other, in fact if it were not for our creator, my sister and I would not be alive today.'

'So what happened?' Embry asked me and received another elbow in the stomach from Sam.

'No seriously, it's okay, I will tell our story. Besides…' I added, ' It'll probably be best to get it all out of the way' I said and sighed as I settled myself in the only empty chair in the room as Leah knelt down next to me, placing her hand on mine. The contact made me feel more grounded and allowed me to remember my past with less pain.

'Katlyn and I were born in the early 1900's' I began and glanced over at Katlyn as Esme placed her hand on her shoulder and squeezed it, 'our tribe, the Gana tribe, was a small one of about thirty people, myself and Katlyn included. Our grandparents had kept pretty much to themselves but our parent's generation had wanted to know more of modern society, so some of them would sneak off into the nearby towns and observe the locals. Our mother was one of them and she had fallen in love with the western culture, so much so that when she gave birth to my sister and I, instead of choosing traditional names, she chose to name us after two friends she had made in one of the nearby towns.' I continued and shifted in my seat, I knew the gentle nature of the story was about to change and could see that Katlyn too, was steeling herself.

'But by 1921, times were changing. We lived nearby to Houston and there was a group that was gaining in power around our area, they called themselves the Ku Klux Klan and their influence in the cities and towns were growing to such extents that our mother could no longer visit her friends. When she tried, she would be followed down the street and have things thrown at her for the darkness of her skin. Our tribe once again became closed off from society in order to protect ourselves from further persecution. But that didn't stop my mother from sneaking away one night to meet her friends, our father was worried, but she assured him that it would be fine and left once it was dark. My sister and I were grown by now, but we still worried for our mother when she snuck off like this so we stayed awake waiting for her. It was the middle of the night by the time she returned, thinking she was alone. Little did she know that her one of her supposed friends had been recruited by the Klan and had told his leader of our tribe.' Everyone was now watching me intently as I told my story, I knew of the infamy of the group I was talking about and so I was pretty sure that they had heard many stories of their hate crimes.

'My mother was back barely ten minutes and was preparing for bed when loud noises outside of our settlement caused us all to go outside. We witnessed as a large group of men, all dressed in strange robes bombarded into our village, carrying torches with which they began to ignite the roofs of our tribe's huts. One of the elders approached them and ordered them to leave, only to be kicked to the ground by the group's leader, who then proceeded to step forward towards us, where I stood beside my father, keeping my sister and mother protected. I watched as my mother tried to reason with her friend but instead was grabbed by him and he slit her throat, I watched in horror as my father was stabbed to death when he ran forward to save her. We couldn't do anything as they slaughtered their way through our group, killing small children as the parents were helplessly held in place and forced to watch and then killed themselves. We had never in our lives dreamed of such violence and hatred in people, for we had been raised in the belief that we should be kind to others and respect all forms of life, we didn't understand what it was we had done for these men to wish to exterminate us' I shuddered at the memory and took in another deep breath.

'Before long my sister and I were targeted, I fought to protect her but instead was beaten senseless by some of the group, I was unable to move as I witnessed by sister get beaten relentlessly by the same men. I could feel my vision fading and all I could hear was the burning of my village and the laughter of the monsters responsible for slaughtering my entire family. I thought I had died, as my own pain made everything turn dark, I didn't know how long had passed, five minutes or five hours, but the crackling of the fire and the murmurs of the men were soon replaced by terrified shrieks, somehow I managed to be able to open my eyes the smallest amount, but it was enough to see what was happening. A figure had appeared, and with speed and strength that I couldn't fathom, he seemed to be ripping our tormentors apart as if they were made of paper. I watched in shock as the men who had been responsible for slaughtering my entire tribe were destroyed by some unbelievale angel of death' I paused and looked to my sister who was now being gently rocked by Esme who looked pained.

'Before I could even begin to comprehend what was happening, it was over.' I continued, 'the only sound I could hear now was the moans of the last two men that the creature had left alive, as I focused on the faces of the men, I saw that one of them was the leader and the other was the friend that had betrayed my mother I tried to will my body to crawl towards them and end their existence but I felt cold hard hands lift me up and move my head so I could see him. He was pale and beautiful and I thought I must have died because his voice was like an angels as he asked me if I wished to live, I was barely able to open my mouth but I somehow managed to ask him to save my sister before the darkness took over, I was sure that I had finally died. But then there was fire' I said and the gentle nods of the vampires in the room showed that they knew what I was talking about.

'Such agonising pain, that I felt like I was burning alive, for three whole days I was trapped in a burning hell, my screams only seeming to intensify the pain that was ravaging my body, I could hear my sister's screams as well but I was powerless to help her. After three days the burning finally stopped, I awoke to see a whole new world, such clarity I had never seen before as I felt a frightening strength running through my veins. I found myself in a small cave, and across from me I saw my sister, already awake but with blood red eyes and pale skin' by now I was sure that everyone in the room knew that at this point in my story, we had now been turned, they all sat still as they awaited the end of my story.

'The man who had saved our lives called himself Nathanial, he explained to us what we were and told us that we needed to feed on blood and soon or we'd end up attacking an innocent, my sister and I were unbearably thirsty but we did not wish to feed off humans, though we did for our first meal. However, our victims were the leader of the men and my mother's betrayer so we felt little guilt for taking their lives. After that though, we kept to hunting animals, we valued life so we didn't wish to kill humans. Nathanial stayed with us for a while, though he didn't like to drink from animals much, he still supported our wishes. Once we were able to control our thirst, he decided to leave us to ourselves and my sister and I lived our lives from then on as nomads. We heard some time later that Nathanial had been killed by the Volturi, we assumed he had broken some unforgivable law. However, given recent events, it could be quite possible that he was innocent. We'll probably never know.' I said, finishing my story and relaxing back into the chair as Leah squeezed my hand with tears gathered in her eyes.

We all sat there in silence, pensive over my story and their reactions to it, I felt the weight lifted from my soul as the heaviness of my past was gone. Only my sister, Nathanial and I had known of our history and it felt freeing to be able to speak so openly about it.

'And I thought vampires were bad, but from the sounds of it, sometimes humans can be worse…bastards' Quil said, looking over from his position by behind the couch.

'Thank you Eric, and you Katlyn, for sharing your story with us' Carlisle said, placing his hand on Katlyn's shoulder as he looked over at me, 'I know that must have been hard'.

'No, its okay' I said, 'it's nice to be able to talk openly about it, Katlyn and I have been alone for so long that we've never really had a chance to be able to share it with anyone. It felt good to get it all out in the open' I said and Katlyn nodded, smiling at Esme.

'Well you're part of our family now' Esme spoke up and smiled over at me, 'regardless of the circumstances of your joining' she chuckled at the memory of our pledge to Bella who rolled her eyes from her position on the sofa, where she cradled her sleeping daughter.

We all laughed, the sombre mood of my history was now lifting and I felt the sadness of the memories drift away. They were replaced by a new feeling of hope; hope for this to become our home, hope that these remarkable people could really be our family and hope that we would never have to feel alone again. I looked at Leah who was smiling as she traced small circles on my hand, and truly felt for the first time since my human existence, that I finally had a chance at a brand new life.


	8. Healing Hands

**Bella's POV**

The night had been a long one; we had spent hours talking to everyone else still here from the battle. The Cullen's house resembled more of a halfway house than a family home, with groups of vampires and members of the pack clustered together in different rooms, exchanging laughter and stories. People had come around quite quickly to the idea of Leah and Eric imprinting, now that they were sort of friends with the vampires they seemed willing to accept them as a couple. Jared and Paul said that they were just fed up of Leah's bitterness over Sam and were just glad that she'd found someone to make her loosen up a bit, though they regretted it when she then proceeded to beat the crap out of them, much to everyone's amusement. By three in the morning all of those that needed to sleep were beginning to resemble zombies as they sat around the house, Seth was passed out on the floor whilst Renesmee had chosen to curl up on top of him and was dozing off herself.

'I think we should probably take her home' I whispered to Edward who was smiling at our tired daughter.

'Yeah, might be a good idea to let her get some sleep in an actual bed. She's had quite a stressful time, we all have' he answered and kissing my temple.

We scooped her up, being careful not to wake Seth up. Not that it would have been possible, he could sleep absolutely anywhere, it was really quite fascinating to see and I noticed a couple of the nomads staring wide eyed at his sprawled position. Saying our goodbyes to everyone we left the house, some of the pack had decided to go home as well and we waved goodbye as we headed towards the path that led to our little cottage.

Renesmee was sleeping snug in Edward's arms as we opened the quaint wooden door that lead into her bedroom, her toys were lying everywhere and it looked every bit the little girls room we'd never expected to need. We placed her in her bed and tucked her in, she automatically curled up with the wolf teddy that Jacob had given her and mumbled in her sleep as we placed the covers around her. I kissed her on her little cheek and left the room, leaving the door open just a crack so that the light of the hallways streamed in slightly.

'It's been quite a day' I sighed as I slumped on to the bed in our room, Edward was changing out of his shirt and I took a moment to truly appreciate the sight of him half naked. I must have had a dazed look on my face because I didn't notice what he was saying next.

'What?' I asked, raising my eyebrow at him. 'I'm just enjoying the view'.

'Oh really?' he asked chuckling, 'well should it be my turn to ogle then?' he said, climbing onto the bed beside me and I laughed as he nibbled my ear.

'I've been waiting so long to do that, you have no idea. If I'd have had my way we would have left the clearing straight away but we had to be sociable didn't we' he whispered, kissing my neck and even though I didn't need to breathe, I felt myself become breathless.

'We're alone now though' I murmured as we sank into the sheets.

'Indeed we are' he replied. After that there were no more words.

We made our way over to the house the next morning, Edward had Renesmee on his shoulders, but as soon as she spotted Jacob she was on the ground and running as fast as her little legs could carry her, he met her with a grin and proceeded to tickle her into a fit of giggles. I smiled at the two of them as we walked towards the front of the house. We found everyone out in the lawn, some were hugging, others were exchanging contact details and even the guys from LaPush were having last minute wrestling matches with a few of the nomads which was a marked change from the previous animosity. Currently Ben was pelting Quil with water from the stream whilst the rest of pack laughed at their friend's expense.

One by one people made their farewells, each promising Carlisle that they'd see him at the first meeting in a few weeks. I wondered how many other vampires would turn up; even now Edward had told me word was beginning to spread about the Volturi's defeat and Carlisle's upcoming plans. The witnesses from the Volturi side had been busy in letting those they came across know of the change and I had no doubt that those who had stayed behind would also spread the news. I was slightly worried that some people would be angry or afraid of the adjustment but I hoped that the vampire world's fear of the Volturi would overcome that.

'You really must come and visit us at some time little one' I heard Zafrina tell Nessie as she hugged her.

Her sisters appeared to be anxious to get back to their native home; they still drank from humans so they appeared to be quite keen to get back to their usual life style. But they were still taking the time to say goodbye to the nomads and the Cullens, Alice and Jasper were thanking Kachiri for her help in finding Nahuel and promised to visit them soon.

Before long, only the Cullens and Eric and Katlyn were left behind, the pack had gone back to LaPush with Sam and Jacob, Seth and Leah were the only ones who stayed with us. Seth mostly enjoyed teasing his sister about her new, kinder personality; she'd gone from openly hating vampires to being smitten with Eric. I thought it was odd as well, but it was a good change for her, the pain of being in a love triangle with Sam and Emily had been replaced by a soul mate of her very own. Edward and I walked into the house where everyone wandered off to follow their own pursuits, Nessie, Jake and Seth were still in the garden playing a game of hide and seek while Alice had taken the opportunity to dress Katlyn up with Rose. I'd be careful to avoid the three of them; the last thing I wanted was another make over. I walked into the kitchen where Nahuel was helping Esme cook lunch for those who needed to eat, he was keeping his long hair back in a braid do that it wouldn't get in the way of cooking.

'Hey Bella' Esme smiled as I came in, leaving Edward and Carlisle to go discuss whatever it was that they were always talking about in his office.

'Hey' I replied, grabbing a knife and chopping some carrots. 'I see you have a new helper in the kitchen' I chuckled, glancing at Nahuel who was peeling potatoes.

'Ah I like to cook Bella, and I may as well make myself useful while I'm living here' he replied and Esme rolled her eyes.

'I tried telling him that he didn't need to put himself to work but he's convinced I'm some sort of slave driver' she huffed and I laughed.

'Well you are, aren't you' Emmett said coming in from the living room, 'I can't go a day without you making me do some task' he grinned and Esme raised her eyebrow.

'That's only because if I didn't keep you busy you'd end up destroying the house by accident, do you remember the time we left you for _one day_ and you burned the kitchen down' she said, placing her hand on her hip, it made her look so motherly.

'It wasn't my fault you changed the settings on the oven' Emmett grunted and I laughed, there were still so many stories I hadn't heard about the Cullen's before I knew them. I could picture Emmett accidentally burning the house down though, it was in his character.

'Oh don't you laugh sis, remember, you couldn't walk down the stairs without breaking your leg when you were human' he laughed and I grinned back, I really was a walking accident.

'Well that's different now' I sang and did a little twirl, Emmett always brought my childish side out of me, he did that with everyone.

'You guys really are weird' Nahuel chucled, picking up the next potato. 'So they knew you for a while when you were human?' he asked me.

'She caused us quite a bit of trouble, first she woos Edward and then one by one disastrous events unfold' Emmet laughed and I punched him in the arm.

'Don't you go forgetting that I can kick your ass Emmett, or are you forgetting our little arm wrestle?' I chuckled.

'That was a fluke sis, I could take you down any day, I just wouldn't want hurt you' he said sticking his tongue out.

'Okay okay children calm down' Alice sang coming into the room and hugging me, 'he's just afraid you'll kick his ass again Bella, hey, you want a makeover? I just did Katlyn so I have everything set up'

'NO! I mean, I'm busy helping Esme, aren't I' I pleaded Esme with my eyes.

'Oh yeah, she's _instrumental_ in the cooking of lunch, I couldn't do it without her' she grinned and Alice just pouted at her.

'Fine! But I will get you soon Bells, just you wait' she sang as she went back into the living room and we all laughed.

'Again, you lot are weird' Nahuel laughed as we went back to cooking.

'Get used to it mate' Emmett grinned, patting him on the shoulder, 'you're in the family now, you're gonna need to get used to weird' he said and I saw emotion flicker in Nahuel's eyes. I figured that beyond Huilen he had never really had a family and was trying to adjust to the idea of settling down, he probably hadn't expected people like us to take him in.

Over lunch the main topic of conversation was the new members of our not so little family. We were all eager to know more about their lives and Carlisle especially wanted to learn as much about Nahuel's traits as possible. I was curious to know if either Katlyn, Nahuel or Eric had any abilities, I'd always been interested in the wonderful things some vampires were capable of, and now that I felt I'd gotten in touch with the full extent of my shield I was even more keen to study other people's gifts.

Before I could get to questioning them though, Carlisle's own inquisitive nature got there first. 'So tell us' he directed his question towards Nahuel, 'do you have any special abilities, or what about you Eric, do you or your sister have any abilities?' We hadn't had much of a chance to really discuss much apart from what we'd learned from them yesterday, I too wanted to find out how similar Nahuel was to my daughter.

'Well nothing I'm afraid, one of my sisters has a gift but I guess it's similar for us as it is with full vampires. Some of us get gift, and some of us don't' he said, placing down his fork, 'but I don't mind, I'm a decent enough fighter when it counts and I've never really needed any extra abilities.'

'We should have a match some time' Emmett grinned and we all groaned, trust Emmett to challenge every new person to a fight.

'What about you two, any cool gifts?' Emmett asked Eric and Katlyn, 'preferably something that'd put Edward to shame so he doesn't walk around like Mr. know-it-all all the time' he grinned and Edward rolled his eyes.

'Well again, nothing interesting for me I'm afraid, I've never shown that much skill as a vampire, I have good control which made it fairly easy for my brother and I to avoid hunting humans, but as can be seen from your coven, it's hardly a skill, more like…a state of mind.' We all nodded in agreement and looked to Eric.

'I do have an ability' he began and Carlisle perked up at the idea of something new to learn, 'I can physically manipulate my own body and those of people I choose, sometimes permanently. It doesn't really have any use as far as attack goes but it's a good party trick' he said, and before our eyes turned into a perfect copy of Emmett, causing the original to grin.

'I can't change the voice or scent though so it wouldn't work to trick someone into believing I was someone else unless they were either human or very very stupid.' He said, gesturing to Emmett and we all laughed as he returned to his original form.

Edward must have read something interesting in Carlisle's mind because he looked pensively at his father than nodded in agreement with whatever Carlisle must have been considering,

'What?' Eric asked, looking between the two. 'Well…' Carlisle began, looking excited at whatever possibility he obviously saw in Eric, 'have you ever considered the healing applications your power could have, probably not because vampires heal automatically but you could theoretically manipulate a human's body into healing itself, you did say the changes could be made permanent right?'

'Ah, I see what you're getting at and yes I have tried it in fact, it doesn't take any power for me to keep something I've changed permanent, I remember once fixing the leg of a wounded hiker who had passed out from the loss of blood, I was able to heal him and carry him back to his camp and he was none the wiser.'

Carlisle was positively glowing at the possibilities, being able to almost instantaneously heal injuries would be wonderful. 'I have to be careful with humans though, if I were to help at the hospital we'd have to come up with some believable excuse for their miraculous recovery' he said, obviously guessing at Carlisle's line of thought.

'Well of course, it would probably be best just only to use it as a last resort, that is, if you're still planning to come and work at the hospital with me?' He asked, giving him warm look, it was obvious from his expression that he already considered Eric another son and possible protégé.

'Really, I'd love that more than anything' Eric enthused, 'it's been so long since my sister and I have stayed in one place, it'll be nice to feel like an average person again.'

'Is it just bones you can heal, or can you permanently heal other parts of the body?' Rose asked, it was odd, she never usually showed this much interest in other people. I looked down at Edward, and saw that he'd obviously seen a flash of something puzzling in Rose's head; if it was important he'd probably tell me, I didn't want to pry though.

'I think as long as it is something that is already a part of the body, I can't remove things, only alter them so it's possible to do pretty much anything. I can't cure cancer or other illnesses. I learnt that when I tried to heal a young woman of about fifty years ago, she still died.' He said, looking disappointed in himself. Leah squeezed his hand, obviously Eric was like Carlisle and hated being unable to save everyone.

'Don't put yourself down Eric, I'm sure in time, you could perhaps be able to hone your gift to do the impossible, there's no way of knowing, you may not have even reached your full potential yet' he said giving him an encouraging smile that was mirrored by Esme.

'What about reproductive organs?' Rose asked and I was curious to see where she was going.

'Well I suppose, I have in the past been able to help women conceive, we lived outside of a tribe for some time. They were suspicious of what we were but they didn't mind because I helped their healer' Eric answered and looked over to Rose who appeared to be glowing.

'How did you help them conceive' she asked and I guessed why she was so interested. Rose's dream was to be a mother, could Eric help her?

'There was a women, who's ovaries were not producing eggs, her reproductive organs seemed to be incapable of functioning naturally, almost like a female vampire's as they seemed frozen in time. I used my power to sort of animate the previously useless ovaries and sure enough she was pregnant not long after.'

'So...' Carlisle said thoughtfully, 'could you theoretically be able to do that to a vampire? ' he asked and glanced over at Edward who was also deep in thought. Rose's smile was almost as big as her face now as she was considering the idea of having children, Emmett was still none the wiser as he watched the exchange.

Eric smiled,'I can change vampire's bodies but I've never done that, it's possible though' he answered andCarlisle nodded.

'From a medical standpoint it could work, if you consider that the female vampire only can't reproduce because their body is frozen. You could technically be able to…unfreeze certain parts so to speak' Carlisle said tapping his chin.

I've never even considered children myself but I can't see why not. He's been able to manipulate my physical appearance before, why not try it?' Katlyn asked.

We all looked to Carlisle who seemed to think over it for a minute, 'I think it may work, that is if once Eric alters the vampires reproductive organs they would stay that way' he looked over to Eric for confirmation.

'Told you didn't I, once I alter someone it's always permanent unless I put them back to normal, I would be able to make it so that a vampire could conceive and carry the child as my ability would stop the venom from preventing the growth, but following the birth the venom would eventually return their reproductive organs back to the way they were before I altered them. '

'It's risky Eric, it'd probably be best if we did trial run. Also, we have no way of knowing what the children will be' Carlisle said worriedly.

I agreed with Carlisle, it could end up producing a still born child or an immortal child, it would be very risky to try. But somehow I knew that it was a risk that some vampires would be willing to take.

'I'll do it!' Rose shot out of her chair and grasped the table cloth, the look on the face was heart breaking, the possibility of a child had given her hope but we were still worried about complications.

'Rose…' Carlisle said quietly, 'we don't know what the child would be, it could very well be that the child produced would be the equivalent of an immortal child, we have no way of knowing whether or not it would be able to grow past the point of being a baby either mentally or physically, it's too dangerous.'

Rose probably had considered that though her own desire to be a mother seemed to over take the worry, a determined look filled her eyes. We were all brought out of our thoughts by a gasp from both Edward and Alice.

A huge grin spread across Alice's face and she laughed a tinkling laugh, we all looked at her expectantly and she sighed, 'it's going to be fine guys, don't worry, I can see the children because they are vampires and not hybrids like Nessie was, they grow fast like her, faster even but they are not to be feared. You're going to have twins Rose' she said and if I could have cried I would, because the look on Rose's face was pure joy.

'Are you sure Alice?' Carlisle asked, obviously still concerned but not as much before, it wasn't wise to doubt Alice's visions.

'Yes Carlisle' she grinned, 'they'll mature in only three years instead of seven like Renesmee, one boy and one girl, they won't hurt people either, they'll be able to control their thirst. I see another girl, yes! Jasper' she said turning to look at him, 'we have one too, she's beautiful. 'It's going to be wonderful Carlisle, there is no need to worry' she laughed and ran over to hug Rose who was in a trance of her own.

'Well that's settled then' Katlyn grinned, taking her brother and pulling him into a hug, 'can we do it now Carlisle?'

'Well, okay, I guess there really is no reason to object…' he said softly, obviously in a world of his own. He sighed rubbed his forehead.

'Is every meal like this' Nahuel asked me and I grinned.

'No, this is a new level of crazy' I laughed, my happiness for Rose causing me to feel giddy as I leant into Edward. 'Is it really going to be okay Edward?' I whispered and he sighed.

'I'm still worried but I saw Alice's vision. If everything goes right it'll be fine' he murmured and kissed my head.

I watched as Eric walked over to Rose and placed his hands over her stomach, Emmett watched nervously. 'This is going to feel weird okay' he said and she just nodded, and took in a breath, I could hear a strange rippling coming from inside her stomach area and saw her suck in sharply and giggle.

'It tickles' she whispered as he smiled and removed his hands.

'I think that's it' he said grinning and patted Emmett on the shoulder, 'father to be eh? You sure you're ready?' he asked and Emmett gulped and nodded, looking dazed. I knew that he too wanted to be a father but had never seen it as a possibility.

'Is it…done?' Rose asked looking down at her stomach.

'Should be' he replied, 'just give it a sec and…yep there it is' he said sitting back down next to Leah.

We were all suddenly aware of the faint scent of blood, luckily Jasper had much better control now and could withstand it almost as well as the rest of us. Rose gasped and bolted upstairs to the bathroom, we all looked at Eric questioningly.

'Oops, I forgot to mention that that would happen, it should finish in a few minutes, it's just her body's way of showing her what I did worked', I still didn't get it, then a part of my human life that I didn't miss at all came to my memory, oh right, the monthly visitor. Everyone else was still confused, I rolled my eyes at them, I'd have expected at least the girls to understand.

'Period you idiots' I whispered and everyone burst out laughing.

'I heard that!' Rose's voice came from upstairs and that just made us laugh even more.

'I…think…I'll just…check…on my wife' Emmett gasped, still slightly dazed, and went upstairs to his and Rose's room.


	9. Rose

**Rose's POV**

After the weird tingling had finished my first thought was as to whether it had worked, the second thought was as to what on earth was happening to me now. I had a dim memory of this type of discomfort from my human life but I couldn't place what it was for a second. When it hit me I ran straight to the bathroom. It couldn't be possible for me to be experiencing this again, was a vampire. Though perhaps it meant that whatever Eric had done was working, this was confirmed when I heard his voice downstairs saying it was normal. The sound of laughter made me want to blush, though I couldn't.

'I heard that!' I yelled, feeling mortified that they'd witnessed my first period in eighty years and were having such fun at my expense.

I paced in the bathroom, the bleeding had stopped and I was now lost in thought. Could I really have a baby, Alice had seen it, twins no less. But I had spent so long wishing for this that it didn't feel real, I had been angry at Bella for her willingness to throw away the chance for children, but when Nessie came I could see the happiness in her eyes, even as she lay there dying as Edward tried to revive her, I could still feel her love for her daughter. What if I was a bad mother, I'd read about post-partem depression and how some women who try for years to have a child, suffer a break down when they finally get their desire. Could I harm my own children? I didn't think so, I'd be sure to keep Jasper around just in case though, I couldn't risk losing what I had dreamed of for almost a hundred years.

I could see the children in my mind now, my son; the perfect copy of Emmett, with dark hair and the type of cheeky grin that meant you'd forgive him for anything. And my daughter, I saw her as a beautiful angel, with golden hair and her father's dimples. I held my hand over my mouth as I quivered with silent sobs, shaken by the very thought of getting everything I'd ever wished for. Not that I wasn't happy with my family, but I'd always felt as if a part of me was missing, every time I thought about it I could picture that little boy from my human life, the envy I had felt for Vera and her family causing me to hope that by some miracle I could have a child of my own. Apprently that miracle was here.

'Rose baby', it was Emmett, still quietly, worry tainting his voice as he called gently through the bathroom door, I stopped sobbing and remembered that he _had_ just been laughing at my expense. I opened the door and stepped out with my arms crossed letting him know I wasn't happy with him. He pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head, the way that his size dwarfed me in his embrace made me feel like a fragile china doll, causing my annoyance to slip away.

'You alright hun' he asked quietly in my ear.

'I'm fine' I sighed, 'just embarrassed that's all, but it doesn't matter now, didn't you hear, we're going to be having twins I whispered, smiling up at him, the answering smile was so beautiful, it was the way I saw my son in my head, angelic with a hint of mischief.

'So what you doin' waiting here for beautiful? Don't you want my body?' he said, trying to wiggle seductively but looking idiotic in the process.

I laughed and pulled him over to the bed, kissing him softly. The gentle kiss didn't take long to turn into one of heat and I found myself not caring at all that pretty much the entire house would be able to hear us. I chuckled as he nibbled on the skin just below my ear lobe that always tickled me so much, it made me feel as if sparks were whirling around under my skin. Even though we didn't need to breathe, I felt my breath become fast and uneven as I struggled to control myself. When Esme had had to redecorate our bedroom for the tenth time after we'd destroyed it she had sat us down and had a very odd version of the parental sex talk, we were warned to control ourselves in the future and I tried to follow the rule, she really was like a mother to me, besides, I was fed up of cleaning up broken pieces of furniture all the time. We spent the entire afternoon and long into the night inside our room, it took us a while to notice the annoyed grunts and over the top clattering of our family trying to tell us to shut up.

I rolled out of bed late the next morning; I could hear Bella's laughter when Edward exclaimed how glad he was that we were finished. But I didn't care, I looked over to Emmett, lying there staring at me and smiled, letting him watch as I washed and dressed before giving him a kiss as I heased back downstairs. It had been two days since my last hunt and I wanted some sisterly time with Alice.

I went downstairs and entered the living room to find Edward and Renesmee playing the piano together, she was getting really good now and I realised she may have heard mine and Emmett's activities last night. Crap, I thought, trust me to mentally scar a child.

'Don't worry Rose, she spent the night at her Grandpa Charlie's didn't you sweety?' she stopped playing and ran up to rap her arms around me.

'Did you and uncle Em have fun playing grown up games, that's what Uncle Jasper said you were doing when I asked where you were but I think he was lying because he laughed and then momma wouldn't tell me what games you were playing, she made me go to Grampa's house' she said, glaring over at Bella who was trying hard not to laugh over on the sofa.

'Don't worry sweety, it wasn't much fun, just boring old grown up games' I said rubbing her hair and mouthing 'sorry' over to Bella who just winked and turned back to her book.

'Where's Alice?' I asked, 'I was hoping to go hunting with her but she doesn't seem to be around'. Edward's playing morphed into Bella's lullaby and he glanced over his shoulder.

'Whilst you and my brother were busy…playing' he said grinning at me, 'Alice got her own treatment' he said, emphasising the word 'treatment'.

Ah, so she was busy working on a little cousin for my twins I thought, feeling my stomach, could I be pregnant already? At least I wasn't the only one who ran the risk of scarring Nessie, I doubted me and Emmett could have been much louder than Jaz and Alice.

'Nope you were still louder' Edward said, causing Bella to burst into laughter, she obviously guessed what he was responding to.

I grinned over at her, I was glad Edward had Bella, I hadn't considered him as my brother at first but after I found Emmett I started to see him that way, so I did care about him. Even though he got on my nerves a lot, he eventually grew on me. It was similar with Bella, I had hated her at first for choosing a fate that I myself had never wished for, but when Bella asked for my help during her pregnancy I was able to begin to think of her as a sister so I loved that they were so right together. Edward stopped playing and went over to Bella, kissing her tenderly on the forehead before coming to scoop Nessie up, she giggled and kicked her legs, yelling 'wolfy wolfy' over and over again when Jake came in until Edward gave up and put her down.

'Hello mutt' I said, rolling my eyes at him.

'Hello ice queen' he responded smirking at me as Nessie climbed onto his back.

I would never admit this but I didn't hate him nearly as much as I used to, in fact I had realised in the weeks leading up to the battle that I actually liked him, he was after all pretty much a part of the family, mostly because of how happy he made Nessie. I'd die before I told him that though, let him believe that I still hate him, I dreaded to imagine what people would think if they saw past my bitchiness.

Edward came over and hugged me; 'no one thinks you're a bitch Rose' he smiled and went to sit next to Bella on the couch.

Great, my all-knowing brother had been eves dropping on my internal monologue, I hated it when he did that, I knew I wasn't a bitch, I mostly acted mean because it was easier than being nice to people all the time. I knew that the people I loved saw past the icy exterior, I just hated that Senior Omniscient over there thought I needed reassuring.

'Senior Omniscient, I like it' he chuckled and I huffed and went off to the garage to work on my car.

It was the next days before I had any significant signs of pregnancy, I'd felt movement in my abdomen in the morning and rushed to Carlisle straight away, he confirmed that I was indeed pregnant and within a couple of days a bump had appeared and I looked roughly two months pregnant, this pregnancy was moving a lot faster than Bella's. Though Alice had warned us that the children would grow a lot more rapidly than Renesmee, I wasn't expecting it to be this fast; I hadn't even had a chance to think about organising a room for them.

I was beginning to worry about the speed with which they were growing. I had of course been expecting to grow very fast because they were twins, vampire twins to be exact. But since the morning, my small bump had grown into a slightly larger and more defined one and I was beginning to feel the inevitable mood changes. In the past few hours, my emotions had morphed from exited to worry, finally settling on extremely annoyed and frustrated. The latter emotion was mostly due to Emmett, he kept coddling me as if I were made of glass. I'd barely been pregnant for two days and he was already following me around the house trying to open doors and babying me. I usually liked to be pampered a bit, but this was getting ridiculous. He'll probably try and stop me hunting next; it was as if he'd forgotten that I was still a vampire for crying out loud.

I decided to calm myself by working on my car again; the task of taking apart the engine and rebuilding something better had always been soothing for me. I grew up in post war New York, when cars were beginning to become really popular and I had developed a secret fascination with them. Though it was seen as unladylike for me to have an interest in the mechanics, I still found myself watching raptly when our chauffeur, Anthony, would tinker on the engine. He was the person who taught me about engines. As a child I would find myself alone when my father was busy working and my mother out socialising, none of the local children would play with me because they thought I was stuck up so Anthony was the only friend that I had. He was a very handsome man, I was never attracted to him sexually because I, but I still saw his dark features as the perfect example of male beauty and admired him like a daughter would a father. In the days when I felt particularly isolated, I would take comfort in his presence, and even as I grew up and made new friends; I still felt that he was my closest companion. Vera was the only person who I told about him, because he was black and a servant, I was told not to talk to him. I didn't understand though, his colour never bothered me but my father's reaction when I was five and I mentioned him was horrible. He had almost fired him until I begged him not to, but from then on I never told him anything else about Anthony.

Throughout my entire youth he had been there for me, often coming over to Vera's for dinner with her family. He was the only person who didn't treat me like a fragile little girl, acting more like a father to me than my own ever did. I could still remember our little lessons, where he would show me the different parts of the engine or teach me how to play poker, my mother would always be confused as to why I always had grease stains on me but she never questioned it fully. He even tried to talk me out of marrying Royce, but I was stupid and ignored his advice. I had always wondered what happened to Anthony, after killing Royce and the other men who had left me to die I had briefly checked on my family, but he wasn't there. I had always hoped to one day see him again, though he was no doubt dead by now.

'Babe! You shouldn't be working on your car, you'll over exert yourself hun' Emmett's voice broke into my reverie and I looked up growling.

I picked the original engine block that I had replaced when I started working on my car and threw it full force at his head, maybe that'd show him that I wasn't fragile. He swiftly leapt to the side and the engine that I'd aimed at him collided into the garage wall with a loud crunch, cracking the brickwork and falling to the floor in pieces.

'Woah, what was that?' Jasper said running into the room and looking from me to the remains of the engine.

'Beats me bro, she just flipped out and threw it at me' Emmett shrugged, wisely keeping his distance.

'I'm just fed up with you treating me like a child just because I'm pregnant, I'm not exactly going to be getting into any battles while I'm in this condition but I still want to be able to do normal stuff, if you stop coddling me that is!' I huffed, cleaning my hands off with a rag.

'Is that why you've been so angry for the past few hours, though your emotions did get a bit wistful about twenty minutes ago, what was that about?' Jasper asked, picking up a few of the larger engine fragments and placing them in a pile.

'Oh just remembering being human' I sighed, closing the hood of my car.

'You alright babe? I'm sorry I've been bugging you, I just worry that's all' Emmett said, giving me a hug and despite my annoyance I felt myself relax in his arms and smiled weakly.

'Well Carlisle did say your pregnancy symptoms should be doubled because of the whole twins thing, but maybe throwing engines is a bit of an over reaction' he grinned down at me and I rolled my eyes.

'I know I know' I grumbled and stepped away. 'hey Jaz, is Alice showing yet?' I asked.

'Not nearly as much as you, she has the tiniest of bumps but not many other symptoms. She told me that you give birth a day earlier than her though' he answered, wiping the debris off his hands and walking over. 'Now how about we go find her and Esme, they were looking for you. Something about babies rooms I think, but I couldn't figure out what the hell they were talking about with all the paint and fabric samples I just had to escape' he smiled and put his arm around my shoulder, leading me back up the stairs whilst Emmett finished cleaning up the engine mess.

We found Esme and Alice upstairs in Esme's drawing room with Katlyn, they were gathered around the table were Esme kept her blueprints, she had her own little collection of construction blue prints from her different projects, renovating being one of her favourite hobby.

'Hey Rose' Katlyn squealed coming over to hug me, 'come see, Esme's renovating and I'm getting my own room. You're getting a nursery as well' she giggled and skipped back over to the table. Alice had some competition for being ridiculously cheerful I thought, I decided I liked her anyway though.

I looked over the blueprints and found myself impressed. Esme had always been gifted at architecture but this was amazing. It was pretty much an entire new house, instead of adding another story or an extension she was smashing through most of the walls and restructuring it from the ground up, I couldn't wait to see how it turned out and found a shiver of excitement noticing the schematics for the nursery that was on the plan's second floor.

'It's going to be amazing Esme, when are you planning on doing it?' I asked, being vampires we could get months of construction done overnight, if the pack helped out then the entire project could easily be finished in about a day or two.

'Well I thought we'd do it when Carlisle and the others go to the meeting on Tuesday, that way it would be a nice surprise for them when they come back' she answered, 'I already asked Sam and he said the pack would be glad to help out whilst him and Jacob are away at the meeting'.

'He seems to think that manual labour will help some of the younger pack members mellow out and stop fighting' Alice sighed, I'd heard about this, some of the younger people had been having a hard time adjusting to being in the pack and as a result were lashing out. I could understand though, some of them were as young as twelve and were going through a very stressful physical change.

'Well let's keep this between us girls' Esme smiled, 'I'd like to surprise the boys and Bella when they come home' she said winking and I laughed.

'Yeah if Edward can keep his trap shut, he knows everything' I huffed and grinned when he popped his head around the door.

'Don't worry Esme, mom's the word' he winked, 'Rose, Emmett's looking for you, I think he still feels bad about upsetting you earlier' he said and I rolled my eyes.

'You think?' I asked, raising my eyebrow and he chuckled.

'Okay, I _know_, happy now!' he said and stuck his tongue out in a childish manner that I was still having a trouble getting used to. I had always known him to be so serious and stone-faced, only occasionally cracking a smile. But when he met Bella, he started acting more lively; like she had opened up a whole new side of him or something. He obviously heard my line of thought and smiled gently at me, _shut up_ I thought at him and he grinned before leaving.

I went off to find Emmett and found him setting on the couch, watching a game, so much for him looking for me I thought, but then noticed that it was the Dolphins playing and they were his favourite team. I rolled my eyes as I moved to sit next to him; even vampire men had some weird obsession with sports.

'Hey honey, I'm sorry about earlier. If you want we can go out dancing' he said, pulling me into his side so that I was partially laying down.

'It's okay honey, I feel better now. I'm fine staying here though, I can't really be bothered going out.' I sighed, nestling my head on his chest. 'Just try not to coddle me too much, my pregnancy is already giving me mood swings and feeling feeble makes me frustrated' I murmured into his neck, breathing in his scent.

'I'll try babe, but I apologise in advance if I freak out a bit when you start lifting cars and hunting mountain lions, I just want to keep you and our children safe' he said, kissing my temple. 'Speaking of which have you thought of any names?' he asked, turning to look at me.

'I've been thinking about that…' I said and I had, I had always had imaginary names picked out for the children I thought I'd never have so it was easy. '… I think I like Elsebeth for the girl, Elsie for short, and Zachary for the boy' I said, 'what do you think? I smiled at Emmett who looked slightly confused.

'What happened to Emmett junior?' he asked and we I burst out laughing.

'You're such a moron' Alice said walking down the stairs with Edward and I giggled at Emmett's chagrined expression.

'They like their names by the way, little Elsie and Zack, I can hear them' Edward whispered in my ear as he leant over the couch.

'Elsie and Zack' I murmured, rubbing my bump and smiling up at Emmett who was now laughing himself, soon enough I'm gonna be a mom I thought, my dream had come true.


	10. Chicago Blues

**A/N: This chapter's a good deal longer than the last few. I got a bit carried away I guess :S Let me know what you think anyway.**

Chapter 12: **Bella's POV**

It was Monday at last, this afternoon we would head down to Chicago for the big meeting that Carlisle had planned for tomorrow. I was a bit nervous, the last time we had been around so many vampires in one place was the battle with the Volturi, and I didn't exactly want a repeat of that day. Edward assured me it was only a meeting and that the vampires coming weren't coming to fight, but were going to be there to hear Carlisle speak about the changes he wanted to make to the way vampires lived.

'What kind of changes?' I asked. Were the Cullens going to have to live in Volterra and judge people from thrones? I didn't like the idea of sitting in an ivory tower. If I had my way then we would just leave everyone to sort out their own lives.

'Nothing big Bella. I'll just be clarifying that we're not going to start a dictatorship, but instead implementing a democracy of sorts' Carlisle said, looking up from his computer.

'You mean like voting and elections?' Jake asked from the corner where he and Sam were leaning against the wall.

'Sort of, I basically need to make sure that everyone feels that they have a say in the way we live our lives, I also want to promote understanding between our kind and other supernaturals like your pack' he answered.

'Not that I'm supporting what the Volturi did, but what about punishment? They may have been evil bastards but at least they sometimes prevented vampires from going ape shit crazy and killing entire cities' Sam pointed out, I agreed with him. I couldn't exactly picture any of my family hunting people down and killing them as punishment.

'I thought of that. When the meeting elects their…representatives for lack of a better word, those people will be in charge of not only protecting us but also keeping us in line. Except they'll be a good deal more fair than the Volturi were' Carlisle explained and Sam nodded his acceptance.

So that was his idea, I suppose in any world you always need a group who are willing to punish those who would harm innocent people or break the law. It seemed fairer for them to be elected by the individuals who would be governed by them, instead of just being put into power like the Volturi guard had been. I liked this idea; I wished that the others at the meeting would see it the same way, at last count there would be at least about two hundred people coming, so the last thing we wanted was a riot. I just hoped that their relief at being released from under the Voltrui's thumb, and the idea that they could finally have a fair say, would over shadow any unease they might feel at the idea of change.

We were just making final arrangements before our flight this afternoon. I had no idea why Esme had insisted we go a day early, the meeting wasn't until tomorrow but for some reason she kept asserting that we go today. I didn't mind much though; it would give me and Edward a chance to have a nice time in Chicago before the stress of the meeting. We could even go to some Jazz clubs and bars, away from the insanity of the Cullen house.

Not all of us were travelling to Chicago; Alice, Rose and Esme were staying behind, they were being quite secretive about something and I dreaded that Alice was planning another party. I couldn't think of any special occasions coming up, but I wouldn't put it past Alice to find some excuse. The only people coming were Carlisle of course, Jasper, Edward, Nahuel, Jacob, Sam and me. I had no idea why I had to go but Edward reckoned that my presence would be a plus for anyone who wasn't at the battle.

'But someone should stay home with Nessie' I exclaimed as we pulled up outside the airport, we had taken two cars because fitting us all in one car would just be uncomfortable.

'She'll be fine with Charlie Bella, besides, he hasn't been able to see her much lately, so it'll be nice for them to have some time together' Edward said, opening the door.

'But why do people need me there, I'm hardly able to keep them calm like Jasper or read their thoughts, and Carlisle is the one who'll be doing all the talking. I'd be happy to just stay in the hotel or something' I explained, hoping to be let off the hook. Large groups of vampires that I hadn't met before made me feel nervous.

'Well according to Siobhan and Liam, when word spread about the outcome of the battle, many people were eager to meet the person who practically lead the charge, they described you as…not _scary,_ just um….' Edward hesitated and Jacob butted into the conversation.

'They think you're some freaky witch woman and they want to check you out to make sure that you're not an evil dictator' Jake grinned and I stared at him.

'You can't be serious! That's the reason? They think I'm some scary mobster boss type?' I asked, my voice rising in disbelief, I'd thought that at the very most they only wanted to meet the mother of the hybrid, but this was ridiculous.

'Yup, like a female Don Corleone' he grinned and Edward rolled his eyes at him.

'…With fangs' Sam added and the boys started laughing.

'Not funny guys, I don't want people scared of me. Besides…' I said raising my eyebrow, 'I don't have fangs'.

'Whatever Bells, just enjoy your new found fame' Jake smirked and threw his arm over my shoulder, 'to Chicago' he yelled dramatically, and proceeded to march forward, dragging me along with him. I looked back over my shoulder at Edward, and he just shrugged and started walking too. What was it with Jacob and travelling, he was like one of those little kids who got hyper on the way to Disney land I thought. Watching as him and Sam playfully shoved each other while they walked towards the terminal, it must be a wolf thing.

The flight was a bit stuffy, being a vampire I didn't feel too uncomfortable sitting still, but the heat of all the compressed bodies and the combined smell of all the humans, plus Jake and Sam, caused me some annoyance, but most of my bad mood was caused by the shameless stewardess who was blatantly flirting with Edward, despite the fact that he'd made it clear that I was his wife. She came over a ridiculous amount of times, offering beverages and snacks, despite him always turning her down. I could see a glint in her eye that meant that she really couldn't care less whether I wanted anything, she was too busy eyeing up my husband as I fought the urge to growl at her. Edward squeezed my hand and I swore I saw a slightly smug look on his face, so he liked me jealous did he, I doubted he'd like it much if I killed the stewardess, though that may have been a bit of an overreaction. So my only option was to grit my teeth and try to ignore her, whilst being bombarded by unpleasant scents and the feeling of being trapped in a flying can, so by the end of the flight I was fully prepared to open the emergency exit and skydive to Chicago. Thankfully we landed a few hours later and I finally got to taste fresh air for the first time in what had felt like forever.

We took taxis over to the Four Seasons, it was a stunningly beautiful sight as we stepped in from the cold outdoors. The February chill was still in the air and the frost bitten faces of people on the street, gazing longingly at the opulent warmth inside, made me glad I no longer felt the cold. I ambled behind as Carlisle lead us towards the reception. The lobby was jaw dropping. The luxurious marble that lined the floor and walls made the room appear to be glowing, the warm coloured ceiling adding to the effect. A chandelier that hung down from the cream ceiling was almost two big to believe as it was suspended, glistening above a striking floral arrangement. I could see in their expressions, that Nahuel, Sam and Jacob were completely foreign to this type of elegance; their awed gazes mirrored my own whilst Carlisle, Jasper and Edward continued walking as if this was normal for them. It probably was, the Cullens had absolutely no problem footing the bill for five star accommodations, I didn't know exactly how much money they had, but I knew it was in the millions, so they were probably well used to this level of luxury.

'May I help you sir?' a petite blonde woman asked from behind the reception desk, taking in our appearances in the manner of someone well used to seeing the wealthiest members of society on a daily basis. Her critical gaze analysed everything from our skin down to our shoes, and I could tell she approved of Carlisle, Jasper and Edward's appearance, judging them to be worthy of a five star hotel. The looks she gave me, Nahuel, Jacob and Sam though, that was a different story. She took in my appearance with a critical eye, cataloguing my ivory skin and golden eyes, lingering on the torn jeans and sweater that I had worn for the flight, causing her eyebrow to raise slightly. She also stared down at Jacob, Sam and Nahuel, a flush crept up her cheeks slightly, obviously noticing their attractiveness but still judgmental of their casual attire. If I were human I would not have noticed her assessment, it all happened in only a couple of seconds. But being a vampire, I could see every minute facial change as she scrutinised us. I decided I didn't like her at all.

'We have two rooms booked under the name Cullen' Edward responded, seemingly warm but I could hear the steel undertone, he had probably heard her judgemental thoughts about us and didn't like it. I wasn't a mind reader but even I could tell that she was probably arrogant and condescending in her thoughts.

'One moment sir' she said and began typing into her computer, her eyes widening slightly when she found our entry, 'that'd be the Royal and the Presidential suite then' she swallowed, she had obviously pegged us for the cheaper rooms and hadn't expected us to spring for the two top suites. Though I still felt it was a bit extravagant, I supposed this was normal for the Cullens.

'Yes that'd be us' Carlisle smiled and gave her his shiny black credit card. I looked over to the side of the desk where there were a load of pamphlets on bars and jazz clubs in the area and picked up a couple, I liked the look of a jazz club that boasted live music and dancing. I didn't think I'd have anything to wear though, but knowing Alice she may have slipped something ghastly into my suitcase without my noticing.

'We have our own room' Edward said softly as we took our keys and got into the elevator, the bell boy followed with our bags. We wouldn't usually take suitcases but it'd look slightly abnormal if we didn't have any between the six of us.

'Won't it be a bit cramped if the others all share one suite though?' I asked him, I knew Jasper and Carlisle didn't need to sleep but Nahuel, Jake and Sam did and they were hardly small. I chuckled at the image of them all sharing a bed.

'Oh not really, their suite has three rooms so I doubt they'll end up getting in each other's way' he explained, hugging me to his side 'at least we'll have some privacy' he murmured and I sucked in a breath as his teeth crazed my neck.

'Guys come on! Get a room' Jake huffed and I grinned over at him.

'Got one thanks' I chuckled, waving the key-card at him and he shoved me lightly. I was glad that we'd gotten back to this place in our friendship, where we could just be best friends without any weird love triangles going on.

'Here we are' Carlisle said as the elevator doors opened up to reveal a beautiful golden foyer and we all stepped out followed by the porter.

'Which one's our room?' I asked, there were only two doors, I was pretty sure it was a bit strange for an entire floor to have only two rooms.

'The one on the right, we're across the hall' Carlisle answered, passing me a key-card.

'Just how big are these rooms?' I asked, raising my eyebrow at Edward who grinned and took the key-card.

'You'll see, come on. We'll see you in the morning' he told the others and Jake rolled his eyes.

'Okay, say you later. Hey Sam, wanna go check out the bar?' Jake asked as he, Sam, Nahuel, Jasper and Carlisle headed into their room leaving me and Edward alone with our suitcases.

Edward opened the door to our room and I gasped, it was enormous. It even had its own miniature foyer that lead to a large and opulent living room. Vases of freesias were dotted around on little mahogany tables and I wandered around the suite fascinated. It was pretty much an apartment, with its own kitchen and several bedrooms, the largest of which Edward placed our bags in. It had a gigantic four poster bed with a waterfall of delicate gossamer hanging off it, creating a shroud of silk that enveloped the bed. I walked around the bed, trailing my fingers along the fabric and caught sight of another room off to the side. I walked quietly in and let out a soft whistle as I took in the view of the bathroom. A gigantic white tub was set in the marble floor, it could have easily fit five people in it without any discomfort, dozens of candles were dotted around the sides, casting a soft flickering light that reflected off the tiled walls. I noticed something else though; in the very centre of the wall was a vast stained glass window, more beautiful than the few I had ever seen before. It was odd to have such a magnificent window in a bathroom, but it only added to the splendour of the room. It was almost five so the sun was setting, the golden light filtered through the coloured glass, casting a spectrum of colours that danced across the marble floor. The bath tub was already filled, I could feel the warmth of the soapy bubbles from the doorway and the whole room was bathed in the scent of lilac and roses. Petals were strewn across the floor and I picked one up, rubbing the silken texture between my fingers as I breathed it in.

'I called ahead and asked them to set this up' Edwards voice came from behind me as he wrapped me in his arms, nestling his face in my hair.

'It's beautiful, but you didn't have to do all this' I whispered, controlling a shudder as he nibbled along my jawline.

'Well we never got a proper honeymoon because of our little _surprise'_ he said and I could feel him smile against my skin, 'so I wanted to give you a taste of what you could look forward to when we get our second honeymoon' he whispered and I laughed.

'You could have just shown me a brochure, I doubt I'll ever want to leave the hotel at this rate' I chucked and turned around in his arms, placing a feather light kiss against his lips.

The gentle kiss turned quickly into one of fiery need as we each tried to consume the other, I was glad that we'd gotten a private room because at the rate we were going we'd probably scar the others for life. One by one our garments ended up scattered across the floor, barely avoiding landing on the candles and starting a fire. Not that I would have noticed, because my whole body was engulfed in heat and desire as we sank deep into the water, causing soapy bubbles to explode outward, drenching our abandoned clothes. This is what I lived for; being with Edward, feeling him and kissing his marble skin, whilst knowing that he would be mine forever. I never dreamed that I could feel this way about any person when I was growing up; I saw my parents failed marriage and assumed that true love was only existent on the pages of the novels I read. But Edward had ignited a whole new side to me, a passion that I had never experienced before, and now that I had I would never give up. He had loved me, and given me a beautiful child, he had made my life whole.

We emerged from the bathroom about an hour later, swathed in the soft robes that the hotel had put out for us. The bathroom was now officially a mess, most of the water had left the bathtub and was now in pools across the floor, the bubbles that remained were fizzling on top of the candles and I could have sworn I spotted a crack in the floor where we had bumped it, oops. I dried my hair off and combed it through; I had noticed a change in it since my becoming a vampire. My hair now reached my waist, and instead of the usual straight and boring hair I had been used to all of my human life, it now hung in waves down my back, it was as if being a vampire had thicken it and given it life. I preferred it this way, the previously average brunette was now a spectrum of browns, ranging from chocolate to toffee. I was by no means as vein as some women, I didn't obsess over my make-up and clothes, but I had to admit that I loved my new hair to a shockingly girly extent.

'So you want to go out tonight? I noticed you picked up some pamphlets in reception' Edward's voice came from the bathroom where he was trying to clean up as best he could. I poked my head around the door and laughed at him, he was standing spread legged in the middle of the room with large white towels underneath each foot. He appeared to be using them to sort of slide around the floor and soak up the water.

'Yeah, I was thinking of going to this jazz club downtown, the pamphlet says they have swing and jazz music but you can also dance. I think it'll be fun, it says here that it's a twenties theme' I said, holding up a leaflet for him to see. It was called the Cherry Lounge and it looked like something Alice and Rose would have loved, so I thought I'd check it out on the off chance that they wanted to see it themselves, they both grew up around that time so I thought it'd be nice to see a little bit of their human lives.

'Ah the 1920's, that was a time. I think Alice packed me a suit somewhere, I'll have a look' he said, kicking the towels into the corner and moving into the bedroom where our case was. 'She probably put something in for you as well, she loves the twenties and I doubt she'd miss an excuse to dress you up again' he grinned and I huffed, I loved Alice and I _did_ need an outfit for tonight, but she seemed to be intent on turning me into her living doll most days. At least she wasn't here with us, she'd probably try to pin me down and do my make up knowing her.

'Bingo' he said pulling out a garment bag with a note pinned to it, he passed it to me and I read the familiar handwriting of my sister in law. _I had a 'feeling' that you might need this, nice choice of club by the way. Don't complain about the dress, it was the height of fashion in those days._ _I'm sending a surprise to you room in ten minutes because I know you miss me. Love Alice._ I read smiling and then a frown grew. Oh god, what was she sending me?

'There's something written on the back' Edward said and took the note, turning it over and reading aloud 'P.S. When you meet _him_, mention Rosalie's name' he read, turning the paper back and forth as if searching for an extra clue.

'Who's _him_? You think she had a vision to do with Rose, is she in danger' I asked, panicked.

'I don't think so, she probably did have a vision but I doubt it was a bad one, she'd have rung Carlisle or written more, it's almost certainly someone harmless, otherwise she wouldn't have written it as a P.S' he answered and I sighed in relief, now that I thought about it I knew logically it wasn't anything bad, I was just so used to her visions signalling some impending doom that my automatic reaction was fear. I picked the garment bag back up and lowered the zipper, letting out an agitated groan when I saw the inevitable glimmer of the material. I gently took the bag off and pulled the dress out, it was black and short, with a dipping neckline and only a single strip of material across the non-existent back. I had to admit that the material was beautiful though, despite the shockingly meagre amount of it. I ran it through my fingers, butter soft with the gentlest of shimmers when it hit the light. Barely visible silken threads were intricately woven through the fabric, making it appear to flow like water. I slipped it on, grinning when I noticed Edwards blatant staring as he paused midway through buttoning up his shirt; I stuck my tongue out and laughed, zipping up the dress. Thank god I was a vampire I thought, no need to wear a bra, not that I could with this dress but it was nice not to worry about gravity. Now the dress was on, I stood in front of the mirror, truly taking in the shortness of the dress. Despite my approval of the material, I still found myself grinding my teeth slightly at Alice's fashion sense, she knew I got self-conscious in short dresses but seemed determined to break me out of it by making me wear them all the time. It could be worse, sure the main dress stopped mid-thigh, but it didn't look too short due to the small tendrils of material that seemed to cascade from the dress in a waterfall of shimmering threads that reached my knees, it caused them to dance outwards when I twisted back and forth. It looked a lot like a flapper dress, except slightly more revealing than some of the pictures I had seen of dresses from the twenties. Typical Alice, she'd find any excuse to show more skin. I was interrupted in my analysis by a knock on the door, was this Alice's surprise? I went over and looked out the peephole, it was just a woman, and I sighed in relief as I opened the door.

'Are you Bella Cullen?' the small dark haired woman asked, she looked to be about fifty, though her skin had very few wrinkles, and her green eyes scrutinized me in a friendly yet professional manner.

'Yes I am, and you are?' I asked, noticing a large silver case by the woman's feet.

'I'm Lisa Howard; I work in the salon downstairs. I've been hired by one…Alice Cullen to do your hair and make-up' she answered, reading Alice's name off a clipboard and stepping into the room. I glanced over at Edward who was silently laughing at me as I rolled my eyes, it was typical of Alice not to trust me to do something as simple as my own hair and make-up I thought, gritting my teeth. I could turn her away, but something told me that would hurt both Lisa and Alice's feelings so I heaved an exasperated sigh and closed the door behind her, turning around to see her pulling numerous tools out of her silver case, a few of which I recognized as torture implements that Alice and Rose like to use on me.

'Would you like to take a seat' she said gesturing over to a plush stool that sat in front of an ornate vanity mirror, 'I've been instructed that you'll be in need of a twenties style, do you have any preference?' She asked as I sat down hesitantly and she started combing through my hair.

'Um…I don't really know, just do whatever you think is best' I mumbled, shifting in my seat slightly so that I seemed more human. She tusked and rolled her eyes, smiling faintly.

'I can see why I've been hired, but don't worry, I'll have you looking picture perfect in no time. Not that you don't already look beautiful, your skin is amazing, a little pale though' she observed, pulling my hair back into a clip as she took out yet another bag from the silver case.

'It uh, runs in the family' I said, it was the truth after all, not only was I pale as a human but being a Cullen also meant paleness, though for a different reason. That marked the beginning of a tortuous half an hour that felt more like an eternity as Lisa buffed, moisturised and cleaned my face, only to put make-up on it afterwards. Then she started on my hair and I had to sit and wait as the heated curlers did their job and Lisa gave me a manicure. By the time she was finished I was nervous but then pleasantly surprised when I looked in the mirror. My hair was up, held in place at the back of my neck by invisible pins, tiny pearls and crystals were scattered throughout my hair. A few wisps fell down around my ears and my fringe was neatly curled to one side of my face in smooth waves, whilst small tendrils balanced it out on the opposite side. It looked exactly like the way that classic actresses had worn theirs, with their pin curls and waves. My make-up wasn't nearly as bad as I had worried, I never much liked the feeling of being caked in products, but it felt like I was barely wearing any at all. She had told me I didn't need any foundation but had only done my eyes and lips. I had only black eyeliner and mascara on my eyes, it flicked up at the edges, giving me the classical look whilst my lips where less subtle. A deep maroon, I worried slightly that it made me look cheap but Lisa insisted that because of the subtlety of the other make-up it wasn't a big deal.

'You look beautiful Bella' Edward smiled after Lisa had left and kissed me gently on the cheek.

'You're one to talk. Nice suspenders, very suave' I grinned, lifting one up and releasing it so that it snapped back into place, he grinned and gave me a twirl.

'You ready to go pumpkin?' he asked, chuckling when I raised my eyebrow.

'I will be if you promise not to call me pumpkin again, sugar bear' I said placing my hands on my hips at the use of what has to be one of the most ridiculous terms of endearment ever created.

'Deal, let's go. I called down and there's a car waiting' he said and pulled me by the hand, I barely had a chance to close the door behind me before he was steering me into the elevator.

We got to the Cherry Lounge in about ten minutes; it was only nine o'clock so the party goers were only just starting to come out, meaning that we didn't have to spend too long queuing to get inside. Not that I minded standing in line much, but I was getting some looks from passers-by in the street, so I was relieved when we got into the club. It was amazing, dark but that didn't matter much because of my vampire eyesight. The walls were a deep red with pictures of famous jazz musicians scattered along them while gentle lights cast a soft glow around the place. There was a stage where a band was playing along with the pianist, who was playing an old ragtime song, a few people were dancing slightly but for the most part they were sitting around in plush booths that were dotted around the club. A long mahogany bar was set up along the right hand wall where about a dozen patrons were sitting on stools and nursing cocktails. I was glad we weren't the only one's dressed to match the club, almost everyone was styled in elegant twenties and thirties fashions as they milled around, chatting, flirting or heading over to the dance floor. I sat down in one of the booths while Edward went to the bar, we couldn't exactly drink but it would look strange if we didn't at least pretend to fit in. I nestled myself down in the comfortable seat, crossing my legs so that I wouldn't be sitting to still. A few of the men were glancing over and I checked to make sure that I wasn't showing them anything by accident. Nope, all clear there. I decided to just ignore them and felt relieved when Edward finally came back with drinks.

'You do realise that most of the men here are practically drooling right?' he grinned, sliding over next to me in the booth.

'Not now they're not, you're giving the women quite a show though' I responded, gesturing my head towards a red headed woman who was flickering glances between lust for Edward and flat out bitchiness for me, I felt sorry for her date, who seemed to be desperately trying to get her attention across the table from her. He chuckled and shook his head.

'I can't understand women sometimes, why are you all so competitive with each other?' he asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Survival of the fittest I guess, but some women are just bitches no matter what' I grinned, 'come on let's dance' I said and pulled him to his feet.

The dance floor had filled up more in the last twenty minutes so I didn't feel as self-conscious now. We made our way over and began dancing to an upbeat jazz number; apparently a new pianist would be coming on soon so the current one was playing himself out with vigour. We swayed and span as the music swelled around us, Edward twirling me every now and again as I laughed at the way my dress fanned out with the movement. I was content in the music when it came to an end, the pianist gave a bow and gestured to his replacement, a tall and handsome man with creamy dark skin and piercing golden eyes, I watched him curiously and tried to place what was odd about him as the man looked in our direction, when Edward stiffened slightly beside me.

'Vampire' he breathed.


	11. Anthony

**A/N: Another long one, I'm trying to aim for 5000 with each submission. Let me know what you think :)**

Chapter 11:

'Are we in danger?' I whispered low so that only Edward could hear me; I was still focused on the pianist who was now talking in hushed tones to another band member. I could see that he didn't drink human blood because of his eye colour, but that didn't mean that he might not be dangerous. He definitely looked strong, with a tall frame, not as muscly as Emmett but there was strength there all the same. His dark skin seemed to glow slightly in the clubs soft lighting and his dark hair was cropped short. There was no denying it, he was very handsome, but I was anxious all the same.

'I don't think so, he doesn't have any harmful thoughts towards us, he's curious of course. I think he wants to talk to us' Edward responded and nodded over to our booth. He pulled me along towards our seats and I had to control the urge not to look back over my shoulder.

'Ladies and gentlemen, I apologise, but I appear to have injured my hand so I cannot play tonight. However, the band will still be playing, so enjoy them' his deep voice rang out on the microphone and he winked over at us. Was he coming over here? I looked over to Edward, asking a question with my eyes and he nodded slightly. He didn't look worried, curious slightly, but a small smile played on his lips as we waited for the vampire to join us. I looked back up to see the pianist heading over towards our table, he stopped at the bar and picked up three drinks, placing them on a tray and walking back towards our direction. He slid casually into our booth, placing the drinks in front of us and looking around to make sure no one would over hear. Not that they could, the band had started up again and the patrons were back to dancing, drinking and flirting.

'Hello' he said in a soft voice, 'I'm Anthony, I'm not going to attack you though. Just wanna talk' he smiled and I couldn't help but smile back, I hadn't felt any tugs on my shield so I knew he wasn't trying to manipulate us, he was just charming by nature. Besides, Edward would warn me if he was going to try something, but the gentle smile on his face told me it was okay.

'I'm Edward and this is my wife Bella, from the Cullen coven in Washington' Edward answered and Anthony's eyes widened a little before he let out a small laugh.

'Ha, you're the reason I'm here then. A friend of mine told me to come to Chicago and meet these 'Cullens', apparently you took down the Volturi?' he asked, curiosity and admiration burning in his golden eyes.

'We won the battle, but we're here really to discuss what happens next. Ease people's worries, that sort of thing' Edward smiled and Anthony nodded.

'I've heard good things about your family, I don't think you're going to be evil and controlling like those Volturi assholes were, though I have to admit that I'm curious about how strong you all are, especially as you also don't drink human blood' he said gesturing at our eyes, 'I always assumed that the only reason why the Volturi kept their power is because they were ruthless and animalistic from drinking human blood. But maybe now we can have a more… _civilized_ society. Wait…Bella. You're Bella?' he gasped, staring at me and I jerked back involuntarily.

'Um…yes' I answered, a frown furrowing my brow.

'Wow, you're just…wow. I've heard stories about you, you don't look anything like a crazy warrior woman though, and where are all the scars?' he asked, looking over my skin.

'Warrior woman?' I mumbled as Edward tried to control his laughter.

'It seems that rumours of you have been blown drastically out of control, according to the description that Anthony was told, you looked like a cross between Frankenstein's monster and an amazon warrior' he laughed, groaning when I elbowed him in the ribs.

'So. Not. Fair' I ground out, punctuating each word with another elbow jab to stop him laughing. 'As you can see Anthony, things have been…exaggerated' I huffed and he grinned at me.

'Maybe not so much' he chuckled but stopped when he saw my face. 'Sorry' he mouthed.'So who else is in your coven?' he asked, placing his chin on his hands like a child patiently waiting to hear a story.

'Well we have the three newest members, Eric, Katlyn and Nahuel. Then there's me and Edward with our daughter Nessie, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and finally Rosalie' I answered, counting them off with my fingers. His eyes widened slightly as the mention of Rose's name and I got a flicker of memory from the note that Alice had left, was this the 'him' she was talking about? I looked over at Edward who was smiling slightly, his eyes glazed in the way they usually did when he was following someone's thought process.

'Yes it is the same Rosalie' he answered and Anthony's head snapped up.

'She's…alive? Is she safe?' he whispered, gripping the table.

'Yes she is, she has a mate now and she's happy, when she's not throwing a tantrum that is' he smiled and Anthony chuckled.

'That sounds like her' he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. I had no idea what was happening, how did this man know Rose?

'What's going on?' I whispered to Edward and he squeezed my hand.

'Why don't you explain, Anthony' Edward said and I looked back at Anthony.

'Okay…where do I begin? Well I knew Rosalie when she was human; I was a chauffeur at her father's house. She was a lovely child, though lonely. Her parents pretty much ignored her and the children her age didn't want to be friends with her, so she used to hang out with me. I didn't have any family, so I came to see her as a daughter. I taught her how to play cards, fix engines and she taught me how to read' he laughed and sat back a bit in her seat. 'For years we were close, no one could know about our friendship though because I was black and she was 'Rosalie Hale', but she didn't care about my skin. When other children and their parents would automatically treat me like crap, Rose was loved and treated me like family. She even took me around to her friend Vera's house for dinner every week' he sighed and I could tell what he was remembering, a while ago Rose had told me the story of how she had been left to die, she's never mentioned Anthony though.

'I remember the day she agreed to marry that asshole Royce King, he was perhaps the most disgusting excuse for a human being that I had ever seen, but she thought that he would make a good husband and wouldn't listen' he continued, taking in a breath. 'You probably know what happened next, she was killed, or I thought she was, guess I was wrong about that. When her body was never found, people speculated about what had happened, but I knew it was Royce who was to blame. I decided to hunt him down for what he had done, I heard that he was hiding out somewhere because he'd become paranoid and delusional. His guilt at killing Rose I assumed. I found him though, what was left of him at least. Someone had gotten to him before me, and he lay dead on the floor. Looking back, the strength it would have taken to smash through the door, it was probably a vampire' he said and then looked pensive for a second.

'Yes it was Rose that killed him' Edward answered a silent question and Anthony let out a laugh.

'Good for her, of course now that I know, it makes sense. No one else would have had the motivation to do that' he chuckled.

'How did you become a vampire then?' I asked and he shook himself out of his reverie.

'Well I was still in the room that Royce's body was in, I kicked him a couple of times, you know, and was about to leave. No one was around but I feared that the police would eventually find his body and I'd probably go straight to jail, being a black man anywhere near a white guy's corpse in those times was an automatic ticket to the gallows' he chuckled, 'I never heard them come in, a couple of pale as hell people with crazy red eyes were just suddenly there. They jumped on me with unbelievable speed; I barely had a chance to blink before their teeth were ripping into my skin. It was agonising pain, and I vaguely registered the sounds of the police running towards us, causing them to flee. Then the pain was all that I knew, for what felt like days I was trapped in burning darkness, unable to move, only able to scream over and over again as the fire consumed me' he said softly and I shuddered at the memory of my own transformation, ignoring Edward's worried look, I still hadn't told him that I remembered everything about the pain of turning into a vampire.

'I woke up in a hospital bed, the police had obviously thought that I was attacked by the same person that killed Royce, but it was only a matter of time before they began to suspect me of being the murderer so I needed to leave. I felt strange getting up, my whole body was consumed with a new strength and I could feel unbelievable energy in my veins. I noticed I could see and hear everything, even the heart beats of the patients in the next ward. The sound made my throat burn and I was almost taken over by the uncontrollable urge to drink them dry. It terrified me, so I ran, and kept running until I'd left the hospital, town and finally was alone in the forest. I didn't know exactly what I was, but I had an idea, and I didn't want to hurt anyone, so I stayed in the forest, feeding off animals and avoiding people. I only allowed myself to be around humans about fifty years ago, when I felt I could control my thirst. And long story short, here I am now'

'So do you live here in Chicago?' I asked.

'No, I usually wander around, a nomad friend of mine told me about your battle with the Volturi and mentioned the meeting that was going to take place, so I came here last week. I've been playing in the band to pass the time' he smiled.

'Well if you like you can come back to our hotel with us, or we can just meet you tomorrow. Either way, I have a feeling that Rose would kill us if we didn't bring you back home. I've heard about you in her mind a few times and I know she misses you' Edward said, placing his hand on Anthony shoulder.

'If that's okay with you, I wouldn't want to intrude on your…_activities' _he said, wriggling his eyebrows and I laughed.

'I think you'll fit in just fine with the guys, especially Emmett' I chuckled.

'Is Emmett Rosalie's mate?' he asked with a slightly protective tone.

'Yes, but don't worry. He loves her more than anything, besides; Rose is the one that wears the trousers' Edward laughed, patting him on the back.

'That's my Rose alright; I can't wait to see her. It's strange that we both became vampires, is that why she disappeared?' he asked.

'Yes, you were right, Royce and his friends did pretty much kill her, my father Carlisle found her dying and turned her' Edward responded with a sad smile.

'Well for that I need to thank him, I'm just happy that she has a good life now' Anthony smiled, playing with the olive in his drink.

'If we want to talk to Carlisle before the boys are passed out we better head back guys' I said, picking up my handbag.

'Yeah, if you're ready Anthony, Carlisle is still at the hotel if you want to meet him'

'Really, that'd be great' he replied, standing up and wiping down his trousers. We all left the Cherry lounge, and got a taxi back to the hotel, it took a lot longer this time because of the amount of people going to and from the many clubs and bars downtown. We finally arrived at the front of the four seasons about forty minutes later and stepped out of the car. Once again I was glad that I wasn't human anymore, because the drastic change in temperature as we stepped into the lobby showed just how dangerously cold it was outside.

We got off on our floor and headed over to the left door instead of mine and Edward's, we didn't need to knock because Carlisle would already be able to hear us approaching so we waited a couple of seconds for him to open the door.

'Edward, Bella come in…and you are?' he smiled at Anthony who grabbed his hand and started shaking it enthusiastically.

'I'm Anthony Williams sir, it's a pleasure to meet you. I was close to Rose when she was human and I have been told that you are the one who saved her life, for that you have my gratitude. She was like a daughter to me and to think that she could have died is just too much, anything you need and it's yours' he spoke in rushed tones that made it almost inaudible, even to vampire hearing. He never stopped shaking Carlisle's hand as he spoke emphatically, keeping his eyes locked with his. Carlisle meanwhile looked surprised and slightly apprehensive at Anthony's behaviour, he was rarely taken off guard, but something about a vampire as tall and imposing as Anthony, acting so zealous, was quite bewildering, even for him.

'Well isn't this something, please come in. Sam and Jacob are downstairs at the bar, I just got a call from hotel management that they've been causing quite the scene' he chuckled, 'I have a feeling they'll be back soon' he said leading us into the suite. It was slightly larger than ours, but that was to be expected because it was the presidential suite, Jasper and Nahuel were in the living room area playing on the Xbox. Emmett had taken it upon himself to acquaint Nahuel with the wonders of video games and as a result he had become somewhat addicted, it seemed that Jasper was getting his ass kicked in a driving game.

'Hey, I'm Jasper and this is Nahuel. He would say hello but he's being unsociable' Jasper smiled, putting his controller down and turning around on the sofa, not caring that Nahuel took the opportunity to smash his car off the road. I rolled my eyes at Nahuel as he sat their giggling like a child at his dirty victory. He had changed so much from the quite man we'd met in the clearing and now he fit in the family, perhaps a bit too well seeing as he and Emmett were becoming quite the rotten duo.

'So you knew my sister?' he asked as we made our way over to the living area.

'Sister?' Anthony asked, frowning slightly in confusion, 'Rose had two brothers, but they were younger than her.'

'Oh no, I mean my adopted sister. The Cullens are pretty much a family, Carlisle created all of us, apart from me and my mate Alice, so he's sort of like the father' he explained and Anthony smiled.

'I have to admit it's refreshing to see a coven that sees themselves that way, most of the vampires I've met have been vicious and self-serving so I'm relieved that Rose has found some of the few decent people to call family' he said but then his smile faded slightly. 'Are you sure she'll want to see me, won't she be angry that I didn't try to find out exactly what happened to her. I know Rose, she can hold a grudge' he sighed, rubbing his hair as Carlisle placed a hand on her shoulder.

'She may act cold sometimes, but she's warm to those she loves. Besides, from what I hear, you two were like father and daughter so she's bound to be happy to see you' he said softly and Anthony relaxed a bit.

We sat there and talked for hours, Anthony telling us stories from Rose's childhood and filling us in on his life as a vampire, he was shocked to find out about her being pregnant, thinking it to be impossible but Carlisle explained about Eric and his gift and he moved from shock to excitement at thought of being a sort of grandfather, Jake and Sam came back at around three in the morning, escorted by two burly hotel security guards. Apparently they'd started an arm-wresting match, inadvertently smashing not only a lot of glasses, but also part of the bar itself. Edward apologised and offered to write the hotel a check to compensate for all the damage and then took a half asleep Sam and Jacob off them, they trundled off to bed, barely noticing that there was another vampire in the room. They really must have drunk an extra-ordinary amount to be able to get to this state, because their metabolisms usually burned off alcohol pretty quickly.

When the daytime came around me and Jake went to do some site seeing whilst the others helped Carlisle with final arrangements for tonight's meeting. They had decided to opt for a more low key meeting place to gather due to the fact that a couple hundred strange looking and eerily beautiful people all assembling in somewhere like a hotel conference hall would seem very suspicious to the general public. So Carlisle had been in touch with a friend of his who taught history at the University of Chicago, which I found funny seeing as the man in question had lived through most of what he taught. The professor had organised for the campus to be deserted tonight, apparently this involved bribing several security guards to make sure that they either weren't there or were looking the other way. The story was that there was a gas leak in the building so that the faculty and students wouldn't think it suspicious if they tried to get in. We spent the afternoon traipsing around Chicago, picking out some presents for Nessie and I had to prevent Jake from buying another motorcycle, mostly because me and Edward had bought him one for a surprise birthday present but also because it would be difficult to get back to Forks. It began to get dark pretty early and that was our cue to head back to the hotel, the meeting was taking place at six o'clock and it was already five.

We arrived at the site of the meeting, the university grounds seemed eerily silent in the dead of night and I expected to see at least some night security guards but then I remembered that Carlisle's friend had arranged it so that we'd be alone. We entered through the main lobby and I noticed that the security cameras were on.

'What are they going to think when they see the security footage of our meeting' I asked Carlisle.

'Don't worry' he assured me, 'there's no tape in the cameras anyway so they're not really recording anything'.

As we got closer to the lecture theatre, I began to get a sense of just how many people were gathered. From the scents and sound it was just over two hundred and I fought back panic at the idea of being in a room with so many unknown vampires. I could smell a few familiar scents though, making me feel more secure, and sure enough, as we made our way through the doors I saw the faces of Tanya, Kate, Eleazar and Carmen from the Danali clan. I was a bit annoyed to see Tanya here because of her obsession with Edward, every time I met her I hoped she'd have found a mate, I know Edward cared about her and wanted his cousin to be happy but I also wanted her attention away from my husband. I also saw that Maggie, Liam and Siobhan were here from Ireland and smiled in greeting, there were also a number of other familiar faces from the battle, Peter and Charlotte were here and Jasper perked up at seeing his friends again. There were a lot of the nomads, both from the Volturi witnesses and from our side, as well as a lot of people I didn't recognise. I only had a brief moment to take all of the new faces as I took a seat at the front of the lecture theatre, in between Edward and Nahuel, Anthony left us and took a seat in the front row next to a pretty vampire with long and dazzling red hair, her golden eyes widened slightly when she saw Anthony and he smiled at broadly at her. I had a feeling that they may have found their mate in each other, I had seen it enough with imprinting and witnessed the bonds between the couples in the Cullens, so I knew the signs. I smiled to myself as I watched her tuck her hair behind her ear in a shy manner as Anthony introduced himself. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were a fair few people with golden eyes in the crowd, I had always assumed that the Cullens and Denali's were very rare in their diet, but from the looks of it, more and more vampires were coming around to the vegetarian lifestyle. My analysis of the crowd was brought to a halt when Carlisle came to stand at the front of the room, clearing his throat to get their attention, everyone instantly became silent, it was almost comical in its abruptness and reminded me of how a classroom would instantly shut up the moment a teacher walked in.

'Hello everyone' he began with a warm smile, 'I recognise a lot of you from my travels, some of you are family while others are good friends, I also see a few new faces but I'm sure once we get to know each other we'll be able to build strong allegiances'.

Every set of eyes in the room were fastened on him, a few people couldn't help but shoot glances towards Jacob, Sam and Nahuel, but I think they were mostly curious glances, not the hateful stares that I had been worried about, I knew that many of them would have spent years believing that anything unknown, like the wolves or hybrids, was automatically something to be feared or hated. It was reassuring to see that the news of how the pack had helped take down the Volturi had seemed to warm the vampires towards them. Likewise, the knowledge had spread of the vampire/human hybrids so that the presence of Nahuel wasn't as unsettling as it could have been.

'Unlike our former rulers' Carlisle continued, 'I do not wish to control anyone with fear. I merely want to allow for a more fair-minded way in which to watch over our kind, not with fear and oppression, but with understanding and compassion. I am also not a fool, I know that there will always be some of our kind that indeed needs to be destroyed, but only ever as a last resort.' He paused to look around the room, the word _destroy_ could have caused unease, but I saw in the resolute faces of the audience that they themselves agreed that in some situations, death was the only answer. 'But I will not slaughter any in my way, like the Volturi did. They would kill for the smallest of misdeeds, spinning lies against the innocent, all in order to gain more power for themselves. I am not interested in power and control, all I wish is to make sure that every last one of you, whether you be nomad or in a coven, is able to live in a world where there is no need to fear for one's safety or freedom' he spoke almost softly, seeming to meet everyone's gaze as some nodded their heads in quiet agreement, while others appeared to be relieved. These people had spent their lives being under the Volturi's thumb, it was obvious from their faces that they felt the long awaited peace of mind that Carlisle's words promised.

'Do not get me wrong, there will be rules, I am by no means deluding myself by believing that all people will behave if unbound by consequences. For I know there will always be those among us who relish in bringing pain and suffering to the innocent, and I am sure that more than one of you will have lost a loved one at the hands of such evil. Those who choose the path of sadistic and cruel behaviour towards anyone, be they vampire, human or shape shifter…' he said gesturing at Jake and Sam, 'shall suffer the consequences at the hands of me and mine' he said, the steel undertone of his words emphasising their importance. Again I watched their faces, waiting to see the inevitable stirring of unhappiness in their eyes. My experiences with vampires so far had shown me that we could be capable of unspeakable acts against the innocent so I waited for the flicker of cruelty to show itself at the idea of them being held accountable for wrong doing, but I couldn't see any. Only acceptance of Carlisle's words, there was one however, it may have been my imagination because it was so brief, but I thought I saw a glimmer of cruelty in the eyes of a couple standing towards the back, separated from the rest of the group. I put it to the back of my mind though and turned my attention back to Carlisle.

'In order to find equality and peace in this world there will need to be a small number of people to watch over and protect our kind. I do not claim that it will be easy to find a way of maintaining balance, but I will put my life on line for the sake of a fair world for my family to live in.' He paused to make sure they all understood and then took a step back, 'we'll be choosing seven people tonight, they shall hold the responsibility of watching over our kind, and ensuring that we are given protection from those who would wish to cause chaos and harm to innocent lives' he said, leaning back against the desk, I found the idea of an election quite surreal, especially as we were all vampires sitting in a giant classroom. 'So please…' 'do not fear change and shun those unknown to you, but live strong in the knowledge that today marks a time for freedom from fear, the fear of being oppressed…and the fear of being alone in life. Be a part of a brand new way of life that will mark a true balance for our kind.' And with that he was silent, the air in the room vibrant with the power of his words, as every face in the room was focused solely on him. We knew he was finished because he had leaned back against the desk and clasped his hands, he looked up at his captive audience and smiled, a smile full of hope and possibilities, then he took in a quiet breath, 'any questions?'

'Yes Imogen, it's been a while since I saw you last, Paris was it?' Carlisle smiled, gesturing to a small blonde woman had timidly raised her hand, her eyes were red so I knew that she fed from humans, it made me immediately anxious about her question, though Carlisle appeared to know her s I doubted she was cruel like some of the vampires that drank from humans.

'Indeed it was Paris, 1850 I believe. Lovely to see you again…I was just wondering, you mentioned rules? Could you be more specific?' she asked in a small voice that seemed to tinkle like miniscule wind chimes.

'Ah the dreaded word, _rules'_ Carlisle chuckled, 'don't worry, I'm not going to implement a long list of orders for people to live by, that would not be fair. I only ask for a few simple things. Firstly…' he began, taking a more serious tone, 'as you know, my family and I, as well as a few of those gathered here, feed solely from the blood of animals. It doesn't weaken us like some imagine, but it does make us more…agreeable. Not to say that those of you who drink from humans are all cruel by nature, but it is significantly more difficult for those who _do_ feed that way to control their more animalistic urges. Many times we have encountered groups of vampires that feed each other's malicious behaviour; the drinking of human blood makes some vampires truly sadistic. However, that is not always the case and I do not wish to impose my own beliefs on you, therefore I will ask only one thing; if you do choose to feed from human blood, then you must _never_ feed from the innocent. Only those members of mankind that are truly evil, such as murderers and rapists, or those on the brink of death, should be fed from. I value life, as do many of you I am sure, and it is not our place to take the lives of innocent people for something as trivial as thirst. If you do intentionally prey upon the innocent, you will bear the consequences, for it is truly cruel to single out those that we know do not deserve death' he spoke firmly, showing that he was fervent on the matter of protecting the innocent. The vampires with red eyes all nodded their heads slowly, none of them looked perturbed or disappointed so I figured that they all lived by that rule anyway, besides, it wasn't like the type of sadistic vampire that would feed of the innocent would even want to come to this meeting in the first place, so I reckoned everyone present were relatively good people.

'Secondly…' Carlisle continued, his tone lightening slightly as he gave a small smile, 'the rules regarding keeping the secret. Of course we cannot have vampires causing havoc and chaos in the public; I doubt any of you would on purpose. But you won't be punished for every small indiscretion. Also, in the past, the rule was always that if a human were to learn of our existence, it was either death or vampirism. This is going to end. There is no need to go to extremes, I know of one with a gift for manipulating human's memories, with it he could easily remove any knowledge of our kind without harming the human in question. Death is such an extreme sentence, let us not inflict it on those undeserving. We should be able to confide in those close to us, it is not unheard of for a vampire to befriend a human; it has even been the case where the vampire meets their mate when they are human, as with my son Edward and his mate' he added, gesturing to me and Edward and I shied slightly as every pair or eyes fixed curiously on me and Edward. 'So why shouldn't we be able to reveal ourselves to those close to us. I will not threaten you if you tell a human that you are close to about your true self; neither will I insist on either death or vampirism. Just please be careful if you do wish to confide in someone, make sure that they can handle it and keep our secret' he said, looking at the audience who murmured in agreement, I reckoned at least a few of them had a companion who was human, but they had been afraid that the Volturi would murder them if they knew, they seemed to be happy that they could share their lives with their loved ones without fearing punishment. 'That is all really, I don't have many expectations, nothing more than what most of you already expect of yourselves' he finished and crossed his arms, looking to the audience to see if there were any other questions. A muscular man on the end of the row was midway through raising his hand when a coldly familiar voice interrupted him from the back of the room.

'What gives you the right to decide anything for us, I say that I am the only one who can claim the right to rule our kind, I will not stand by while you turn us into a joke and I will not let you allow these _mutants_ and _half-breeds_…' the figure spat, gesturing to Nahuel, Jake and Sam as he walked down the middle of the aisle, '…taint our world'. He'd finally made his way to the front and stood a few feet from us on the bottom step, with a look of pure hatred on his ashen face, I let out a soft gasp. Caius.


	12. O Captain! My Captain!

**A/N: Sorry about the cliff hanger in Chapter 11 guys, some people were confused. Caius IS dead, I repeat, Caius IS dead. Also, I'm sorry about the slightly cheesy dialogue in this chapter, I'm not very good at eloquent speeches, so just bear with it. **

Chapter 12:

Or so I thought. His scent was off, as if it was comprised of the same little hints of decomposition and malice, if malice could have its own odour, combined in a different way. And there were other slight differences, the pure white hair reached further down, his eyes were also missing that milky texture, the red shone through as clear as day as he glared at Carlisle. He sure looked a lot like Caius, sounded like him too; he must be at least related to him.

'And who are you?' asked Carlisle, braced against the hostility coming towards him in waves from this stranger, but still keeping his calm façade.

'I am Vasilios, brother of Caius of Volterra' his brassy voice rang out, so I was right, there was a relation. I hadn't ever heard of a brother though, judging by the shocked stares of the audience, neither had anyone else gathered here. Why would Caius hide his brother, did he foresee that one day the Volturi would be dead, and keep his existence secret so that he could survive the battle and claim power? I had no idea what this man wanted, judging by the hatred in his gaze and his pompous manner I didn't think he was here to talk knitting patterns; I glared at him as his creaking voice continued. 'It is my birth right to take my place and rule our kind, but your perverted ways have made a mockery of vampires, the mere presence of these worthless dogs' he said gesturing at Jacob and Sam who snarled, 'is enough to warrant slaughtering you where you stand… and then there's the half breed' he hissed and Nahuel straightened himself up, ready to defend against a physical attack, 'this _mutant_ shouldn't even be alive, I can see why my brother was right in wanting to annihilate that disgusting female your son created' this last statement received outrageous hisses from everyone, especially Edward and I.

'Your brother was wrong!' a tall woman, with hair so blonde it was almost white, yelled from the back, her bronze eyes burning with fury. It looked like one of the Volturi witnesses, judging from her eyes she had recently taken up the vegetarian lifestyle, I thought as I watched her glare at Vasilios. 'Him and those pigs that called themselves our rulers were intent on killing an innocent child, all in the quest for power. We all saw it, and those of us who didn't, have heard the stories of her innocence and this family's kindness, this is why we wish for them to rule us. I'd rather someone as compassionate as the Cullens, who are willing to hear my voice, than have it drowned out by your delusions of grandeur and ignorant hatred. The wolves have fought time and time again alongside the Cullens, they are allies and the hybrids are part of our kind, they do not deserve to be judged by you!' The witness growled, glaring at Vasilios whose lip was curled up in distaste, clearly enraged by being talked down to.

'I agree with Violet!' A tall, blonde nomad I had never seen before said as he stood up, 'I was hunted by your brother and his guards, intent on forcing me to join them. I had lost many friends to their endless pursuit of power before the Cullens and their allies did us all a favour and removed their presence from this earth. If you do not believe me than I will show you that every single person here felt nothing but fear and hatred towards the Volturi.' He said and looked around at the rest of the audience, 'I will ask any person who has ever lost a loved one at the hands of the Volturi and their so called _justice_…' he said, spitting out the words, 'to stand up now against this bigoted swine', he looked around and one by one, vampires across the room began to stand with him. Each person showing that they had lost a loved one to the Volturi, their faces flushed with emotion ranging from sorrow and grief to pure rage. I saw Kate and Tanya stand up, holding hands. They were still grieving for Irina and Garrett, Carmen and Eleazar joined them. In what seemed like hours but was more likely only a few seconds, three quarters of the entire crowd all stood to face Vasilios. 'As you can see you ignorant pig, no one here wants to be ruled by the likes of you' he spat and Vasilios snarled at him, the nomad didn't waver though, confident in the overwhelming presence of those around him who were now standing against Vasilios.

The people standing were only a small percentage of the vampire population; every last one had lost a loved one to the Volturi. If it was any indication of the carnage brought by the Volturi, then I had severely underestimated the amount of pain that they had caused, it made me sick to my stomach that they had been allowed to go on for so long. I could only wish that they had been destroyed years ago. Why hadn't anyone stood up to them before? Then I realised, most of these people probably had, that was most likely how they had lost the people they cared about. Any person who ever dared to go against them would have always been slaughtered on sight, or forced to join their ranks. All I could do now was take solace in the fact that they were dead and buried, the only remainder being the decrepit piece of trash that was standing in front of us now, a look of disbelief and repulsion causing his translucent skin to pulsate with anger.

One of the few vampires left sitting now stood up, I recognised him from the clearing, he was originally one of the Volturi witnesses who had helped dispose of the Volturi's remains. His slightly wavy chestnut hair was tied back at the nape of his neck in a manner that reminded me of a handsome pirate. His clothes bore the typical eclectic fashion of someone who spent their life wandering from place to place. I hadn't had a chance to meet him at the clearing, because he had left soon after the battle ended, but I wondered what he was going to say. I feared that he would stand up for Vasilio, though he didn't have the look of cruelty about him, he looked more caring than the average vampire, the light of compassion burning in his golden eyes.

'I too was there that day; I was initially called upon to witness the destruction of an immortal child. But when I got there, I saw the purity of the little one and knew her to be innocent, and not a monster as your brother claimed. Likewise, I could see the purity of this coven and their allies, every last one of them held more kindness in their souls than I had ever seen in my life as a vampire. When they thought against the Volturi, my gift allowed me to see the true justice in their actions, for my power allows me to see the deepest feelings of the heart.' So his gift was similar to Jasper's I thought, except instead of everyday emotions, he appeared to see the deeper feelings that most of us never really thought about, but were always there in all our actions. I understood now the reason behind his living by the vegetarian lifestyle; some of the vampires were introduced to it by people like the Cullens. Others had decided to make the change following the battle, their eyes were now bronze in colour, signifying the recent change in diet. A rare few though, chose the life style on their own accord, without any prompting from anyone else. I figured that someone who could feel the love or pain of their victim would have a very difficult time taking their lives.

'Even though they were angry, I witnessed that they had the purest of intents, all they wished was to end the suffering that the Volturi had caused, and protect those that they loved. I have seen many people fight in my long life, and it has always been for money, power, hatred, prejudice or just plain cruelty. With the Volturi it was all of those impurities that I saw in their blackened hearts. But then I saw their opponents, the Cullens, fighting just as fiercely, but with such contrasting emotions. Inside them I felt a little hatred to be sure, for who could blame them for hating the people responsible for trying to murder their loved ones. But their anger was rooted by a deeper desire to protect, to love and to prevent any pain from further tearing our kind apart. I doubt they would have felt all of these emotions running through them, but I did. I could feel their determination, their wish to end the suffering caused by the Volturi, shining through in their actions and it made me hate myself for believing the lies that your brother span against them.'

'I am asking you all now to believe me when I say that this family and their allies, the wolves, are the purest of hearts I have ever met. Such darkness and impurity that dwells within this beast, Visilios, and his mate who is still hiding over there…' he pointed to a woman with dark wiry hair and a pointed face who scowled and stalked over to Visilios' side, '…could never dream of tainting the compassion of this family. Now who here agrees with me, that this disgrace to our kind should crawl back to wherever he came from, taking his narrow-minded views and delusional hatred, along with him?'

Again, vampires began to stand; those who weren't already standing were up in a second. Before long, there wasn't a single person sitting as they all stood against Vasilios. The pale vampire and his haggard mate began to retreat, anger still burning in their eyes but they knew that they had been beaten. They had obviously come expecting us all to automatically bow down to his claim of power, but now the realisation had hit him that no one wanted his warped leadership. His body shook with restrained fury and disbelief as he and his mate left the lecture theatre to the sound of hisses from everyone in the audience.

'Whatever happened to vampirism making you beautiful, it looks like it had the opposite effect on her' said Sam, causing everyone to laugh and the subject of his scrutiny to growl from the hallway. 'This isn't over, Cullens' said Visilios, 'I'll take my rightful place, and then your whole family will be dead' he smirked from the doorway before he disappeared, silence rang out and we all waited to see if Carlisle would respond.

'Okay then' Carlisle said, 'where were we?'

Once everyone got settled down, Carlisle was able to answer the remaining questions, most of them about the pack or Nahuel and my daughter which was to be expected. Everyone had pretty much gotten past Vasilios' little power play and where focused on the meeting once again as Carlisle explained how the wolves were our 'supernatural brothers' and how when we live in a world full of myths and magic we needed to support others of our world. I was worried that they would discriminate against Sam and Jake, especially with the way they smelt to us, but the main response was curiosity. After the confrontation with Vasilios and his mate, and the ensuing show of solidarity, the atmosphere had become a lot less formal. Instead of straight question asking from the audience, they were watching in awe as Jacob described the process of phasing and how the gene was activated.

'Can we see?' the pretty vampire next to Anthony asked, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth in embarrassment, Anthony laughed and nudged her slightly, causing her to smile faintly back. Jacob looked to Carlisle shrugging, I knew he didn't have a problem with phasing but he wanted to make sure that it wouldn't panic anyone. Carlisle glanced at Edward who nodded slightly, a small smile spreading across his lips as he placed his hands behind his head and leant back in his seat.

'Okay guys' Jacob's deep voice rang out and everyone sat on the edges of their seats, awaiting the demonstration. I chuckled at the image of so many vampires, most of them several hundred years old at least, acting like a bunch of children eagerly watching a magic show. 'I'm gonna stand behind…this' he said pulling forward a rolling chalk board, 'not that I don't like you guys but I don't really fancy getting naked in front of so many blood suckers' he grinned and a ripple of laughter ran out at the use of his pet name for vampires, he stood behind the board and a couple of people raised their eyebrows as he chucked his clothes, piece by piece out in some sort of bizarre strip tease, all he needed was a smoke machine and some stage lighting to make the effect complete. Done stripping, he tipped the board down slightly so that they could see his upper body and feet but not the…_private_ part of him, I raised my eyebrow at his showman ship and he shot me a wink, that type of exchange would have caused Edward to growl in the past, but since the imprint there hadn't been any sexual tension between us, so he just smiled and rolled his eyes at Jake instead.

'Just do it already Jake' Sam sighed, moving back slightly to give him some room.

'Okay. One…two…three' Jake said and then his whole body began to shake.

The energy and heat rolling off him caused several vampires near the front to shift backwards whilst they watched with awed expressions. In a matter of seconds his whole body erupted outwards, his form morphed from human, into a giant russet coloured wolf, his huge dark eyes took in the shocked gazes of the audience and his lips turned up in a wolfy grin as he gently padded out from behind the chalk board, careful not to make too sudden a movement in case he startled any of them. A lot of the people had seen the wolf forms of the Quileutes during the battle, but none of them had witnessed the actual transformation from human to wolf. I stood up and walked over to Jake, standing by his side and placing my hand in his fur and scratching him where I knew it tickled. He made a few huffs and let out a soft wolf-like purr, leaning into it and I chuckled. I know it must have looked odd for me to do this in front of a room full of vampires, but I had a feeling it would help them shake off the shock and fear. Many of them had heard of werewolves being uncontrollable and animalistic in their wolf forms so I felt like I needed to show them how the Quileute shifters were nothing like the insane werewolves that would kill without question. A few titters of laughter rolled outward from the crowd as their wariness wore off and they relaxed back into their seats, twisting around as Jake jogged up the stairs at one side of the hall, across the back and down the other side, finally pacing up the middle aisle, letting the occasional brave vampire reach out and touch him as if they were unsure he wasn't an illusion. He circled round and stepped back behind the board as Sam held it upright, a look of amusement on his face, probably at the bizarre image of Jake being petted by their ex-enemies. I had to agree with him, it was a very surreal experience indeed. Jake emerged a minute later with his clothes back on and a smirk spread across his face as he sat back down next to Sam.

Now that the show and tell was over, everyone settled, though a buzz was ringing in the air as people murmured about Nahuel and the wolves. I knew we were going to be electing the ten people chosen to be pretty much in charge of the vampires shortly. I originally thought that ten was too little but then I realised that there were a lot less vampires than humans, besides, the way that Carlisle had described it to me when he first thought of the idea, was that they would just be the ten people on top, apparently it was up to everyone to protect our kind and he thought that having 'representatives', as he had called them, would give the general population someone to defer to when they needed, but for the most part he envisioned a sort of network of vampires, all connected and allied with one another. It was time to decide on who would be filling the roles of the central pieces of the network. Jasper sent a wave of gentle calm over the audience to settle their excitement and everyone immediately sobered, waiting for Carlisle to speak.

'As I mentioned earlier, we need to decide who's going to be our ten choices for…does anyone have idea what we should call them?' He asked the crowd

'Well they're kind of like our supervisors, you know, who we report to if we have a problem so maybe that' piped up a pixie like blonde in the third row.

'Nah we should call them the _legendary guardians_ of our race' grinned Garrett causing Kate to elbow him in the ribs, rolling her eyes.

'Hmmm, how about we call it a committee, because that's sort of what it is, like with the human politics except maybe a bit less ridiculous' said Siobhan.

'That sounds good' agreed one of the nomads from near the back while everyone murmured in agreement.

'So that's settled' said Carlisle, 'we'll call this whole thing a committee, at least that's less formal than _legendary guardians'_ he chuckled, raising his eyebrow at Garrett. 'These ten members will then be charged with the duty of both protecting our kind and offering guidance, as well enforcing when need be' he continued as everyone nodded.

'After we have the nominees, you will all write out on a piece of paper which people you think would best fit the roles, and then place that paper in this box' Edward said, picking up a box from under the desk that had a little slit in it, 'I have a psychic sister and she told me we'd be doing it this way' he laughed.

'How do we decide who the nominees are?' the girl, Violet, asked and Carlisle tapped his chin pensively.

'You can nominate anyone here that you believe have the qualities that would fit the job, or you can nominate yourselves' he answered and Violet nodded her head in understanding, 'so who's first?' he asked, the question was immediately followed by an explosion of shouts from the audience and he had to hold his hands up to get their attention. 'One at a time please, okay…Peter' he said, gesturing to Peter who smiled and stood up, holding onto Charlotte's hand.

'I think that Thomas should be a member of the council' Peter said and the handsome pirate man, as I had nick named him, that had spoken against Visilio earlier, snapped his head around in shock.

'What?' he gasped, raising his eyebrows at Peter, who smiled back at him.

'I think he'd be perfect' added Charlotte, 'with his ability he will be able to see whether a vampire is truly evil if they are being coerced into committing evil acts against their will. If they want to change their ways then he will be able to sense it and we can save them from themselves. Plus he's a good person and he speaks the truth, he would be a good addition.' I could tell the vampire named Thomas was about to disagree when a large portion of the crowd murmured their agreement with what Charlotte had said.

'Thomas?' Carlisle asked, looking to him, 'you can refuse if you wish but I happen to agree with everyone else, I think you would be a credit to our kind in this role'.

'That doesn't matter Thomas' Edward answered an unspoken thought, 'you're worried that no one will trust your authority if you're a nomad, but you're forgetting that a good percentage of those here are themselves nomads. They all seem to think you'll be fine, and as you can see, those in the covens also think you would be good as a council member'.

'Well that was my basic concern, well that and being inexperienced at fighting, but I can always learn. So…okay, I accept the nomination' Thomas sighed, rolling his eyes and shooting Peter an exasperated look, Peter just smirked back at him.

After that they came in quick succession, soon we had a list of twenty including Tanya, Carlisle, Jasper, Edward, me, Peter, Thomas, Siobhan, Maggie, Eleazar, the pretty vampire next to Anthony who was named Paige, as well as the tall blonde vampire who had spoken up against Vasilios named Oliver, who was apparently a tracker. Kate was also nominated, much to her own embarrassment, a man named Oscar and his mate were also nominated and finally several members of the nomads. We all had a vote, even Sam and Jacob, which I thought was odd because this was the vampire council, but people seemed to want their input anyway so we figured it couldn't hurt. Once all the votes were in which only took about thirty seconds because of vampire speed, they were counted by three different people who were picked at random to make sure it was fair, not that anyone would really cheat, but you never knew. Either way, we finally had our ten.

I was nervous about the outcome, I would have liked to be chosen, if only so I could help people but I didn't like to do things without Edward, I knew he'd get voted in though, on account of his mind reading being so useful. I was just hoping that I would be able to stand by his side. Imogen, the vampire who had asked the first question earlier stood up, ready to announce the final count and we all waited in rapt silence, waiting to hear who we'd all decided on.

'I'm not reading these in any particular order so nobody really knows who got how many votes, so here goes; we have Eleazar of the Danali coven. The nomad known as Paige Claremont. Carlisle of the Olympic or Cullen coven as well as his son Edward and his mate Bella. Violet, formally of the Aurora coven. Maggie of the Irish coven. Jasper, also of the Cullen coven. Oliver, formally of the Solano Coven and finally Thomas, the nomad' she read aloud and gestured at the ten people who had stood upon hearing their names; myself, Jasper, Edward and Carlisle included. 'These people have all been chosen for their gifts, compassion, experience and readiness to protect those that need protection whilst defending against those who would harm us. In all it seems like an awesome bunch' she smiled and sat back down while a murmur of excitement rippled through the sitting vampires, followed by a small spurt of applause.

The meeting was pretty much finished after that, everyone was milling around in small groups, talking. Some of the nominated council members had agreed to come and stay with us for a couple of weeks. Much to my annoyance Tanya was going to be coming back with Eleazar and Carmen, whilst Kate and Garrett went to go visit some of his old Nomad friends. Maggie was heading back with her coven but she promised to be in contact with Carlisle soon. We still had Violet, Paige, Thomas and Oliver coming back with us, which took some of the sting out of having to deal with Tanya's obsession with Edward. I watched thoughtfully as she kept shooting glances at Oliver, who was talking with Paige and Anthony, and a small spark of hope flared to life in me. I'd never seen her pay much attention to men, no matter how attractive they were. She was usually too busy trying to cosy up to Edward, but now that I watched her, I noticed the way her whole body language was focused towards Oliver, as if a magnet were pulling her towards him. I smiled to myself as I watched him notice her presence, stopping mid speech to lock gazes with her.

'Why do you look so smug? It's kind of scary' Jake asked, coming over and looking in the direction I was staring and spotting Tanya. 'You haven't done anything have you, like planted a bomb in her car or something? I know you don't like her, I don't either, but that's too far Bells' he grinned, nudging me and I laughed.

'I'm happy because I think she's just found her other half' I grinned and he looked confused.

'Wait, I thought you didn't like her' he mumbled, trying to figure out why seeing Tanya happy would cause me pleasure. It wasn't like I wanted her to be miserable, I just wanted her attention focused on someone other than my husband, and it just happened that finding a mate would do the trick. Beyond my annoyance at her though, I did want her happy. Partly because Edward cared about her but also because, despite her bitchiness, she had been through a lot recently and she deserved happiness, especially if that happiness made her stop trying to get Edward into bed. It was a win win situation in my mind.

'If she's found her mate Jake, then she won't be after Edward anymore you idiot. Plus she's not all that bad, just a huge ho. Which will change if she finds her own person to rub up on, preferably one not married to me' I whispered so Edward couldn't hear me and Jake nodded in understanding, winking at me.

'Want me to play cupid?' he asked and I looked at him questioningly, he just smirked and moved off towards Oliver, I watched worriedly as he tapped him on the shoulder and then beckoned for him to follow him, leading him towards Tanya who was trying to act nonchalant and failing dismally. A cold shiver ran down my spine, Jake was hardly subtle when it came to romance I thought, the human memory of him trying to kiss me and my punching him in the face coming to mind as I watched him move towards Tanya. _Please let him just introduce them, please let him just introduce them_, I chanted in my mind over and over again when he reached Tanya.

'Oliver this is Tanya, Tanya this is Oliver' he said and I sighed, good, now leave Jacob, don't do anything stupid. 'Me and Bella have been watching you and we're pretty sure you're soul mates, so please feel free to start rubbing up on each other' he grinned, winking as both Tanya and Oliver's eyes widened slightly and I thought the urge to groan. Tanya looked over at me, not with hatred but with curiosity, she actually seemed to be wanting to know if I had indeed seen the spark between them and I nodded, giving her a little smile of encouragement, ignoring Edward as he looked between us trying not to laugh. Jake came back over, a triumphant smile on his face and threw his arm over my shoulder.

'Am I or Am I not a miracle worker' he grinned and I elbowed him in the ribs.

'You're a moron that's what you are; you just made an ass out of yourself and embarrassed both of them in the process. You've probably made them feel awkward now' I hissed but he just wriggled his eyebrows at me.

'Then tell me dear Bella, what do you call that?' He asked, turning my head towards the corner of the room where Tanya and Oliver were sitting close to each other, sharing a whispered conversation and laughing quietly at each other's jokes, I could feel the heat between them from here and noticed Tanya give me a tiny thumbs up from behind her back. Well that worked fast. And I noticed how just being around Oliver had melted her icy exterior, she appeared to visibly mature from the bitchy person I'd gotten used to into a happy and friendly person before my eyes as she talked animatedly with Oliver. Maybe we could even be friends now. Not best friends by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely friendlier now that I didn't need to worry about her wanting Edward I thought. I smiled over at them and turned back to Jake.

'Fine, it worked. But it was fluke, you're still a moron though' I said laughing as Jake hugged me to his side.

'It's why you love me Bells' he grinned and I looked over at Edward who was smiling at us, I rolled my eyes nodding over from Jacob to where Tanya and Oliver were sitting and he laughed, shaking his head in amusement before turning to join in the conversation between Carlisle and Violet.

We didn't go back to the hotel; instead we headed to the airport. Carlisle had chartered a private plane this time, because of our extra guests, our group was a little too large to go unnoticed on a public airplane so we waited in the private hanger for our plane to arrive. Thomas was discussing training with Jasper; he wanted to improve his fighting skills and was worried that he wouldn't be any good. Jaz assured him that he and Emmett would be able to whip him into shape in no time, though I'm pretty sure that Thomas would regret his wish to train once he was subjugated to Emmett's method of fighting. Eleazar kept a keen eye on Paige, who was deep in conversation with Anthony, I supposed it must be something to do with a power because that was usually the only thing that would cause Eleazar to stare at someone. I looked forward to finding out what it was, I wondered if it had something to do with her hair, the scarlet waves were so unnaturally vibrant that they _had_ to be caused by whatever mysterious power she had, I had never seen a vampire with hair so vivid a red.

'The plane is here' Carlisle said, walking in the door and we all stood up, ready to leave. I looked back over at Anthony, anticipation and excitement dancing in his eyes. In only a few hours we were going to be giving Rose the shock of her life I thought, smiling as we boarded the plane.


	13. Home at last

**A/N: This is pretty much just a filler chapter so we can learn some more about Oliver, Thomas, Violet and Paige. I also had a dream about this house so I wanted to describe it.**

Chapter 13:

We arrived back in Forks a little after midnight; I thought we must have gotten lost at first, because the familiar Cullen house was gone. The entire structure had changed; everything down to the colour of the brick was different. The previous gentle white had been replaced by a deep earthy brick that made the house appear to spring upward from the ground, as if it were part of the forest itself. Adding to this effect was masses of weaving vines that wrapped around the brick, interlacing and spreading upwards while leaves and the occasional flower spouted from them, making the house remind me of secluded mansion in an enchanted forest. It was as if Esme had taken the grandeur of the previous house and combined it with the fairy tale like charm of mine and Edward's cottage. I'd have thought that the two different styles would be contrasting, but it just looked…magical. There was still a lot of glass, but not in the modern way that it had lined the walls of the old house, instead there were several huge stained glass windows, with intricate patterns that wove a spectrum of colours through the glass, each one infinitely more beautiful than the one from Chicago I thought, feeling a shiver ran down my spine at the memory. This house was a lot bigger, though it still had only three stories. The front door was made of beautifully carved oak, a few of the vines winding their way around the thick frame. I walked towards the house, taking in all the new details with each step; I wasn't the only person in awe over what Esme had accomplished in only a day, I couldn't believe it myself, and I had witnessed a lot of impossible things.

I stepped up to the front door, still holding onto Edward's hand as I opened it and gasped. The ceiling was so high I couldn't believe it, with wooden beams running all along it. I wondered how on earth Esme would have been able to allow for such a cavernous ceiling and still manage to have room for things like bedrooms. A dark wooden railing wrapped the room with a large curving stair case winding upwards towards it. I figured that the reason why the room ceiling looked so high was because Esme had knocked out the middle of the second floor, creating a sort of miniature cathedral effect as the beams ran across it, suspending about two dozen large lights, all at different heights so that they resembled stars drifting in space. The rest of the second floor looked from here to be normal; it seemed that the rooms were lined on the outer sides of the house in order to make room for the extravagant ceiling; a balcony ran along the edges of the room and oak doors were dotted along the wall, I could see that a couple of corridors ran off from the landing, probably leading to more rooms and the third floor.

I looked around the open living space in front of me, I would have thought that the giant stained glass windows would make the room dim because of their thickness, but even though it was dark outside, I could still clearly see every detail of the lawn as the light from the moon streamed in through the coloured glass. I guess it was because the glass was thinner than the type they usually used, so the light was able to move through it more freely. A large stone fireplace dominated one of the walls, around it were a few comfortable looking armchairs and a sofa, it looked like the perfect place to relax in front of the fire, especially with the soft glow of the suspended lights up above. The rest of the room had a sociable atmosphere, in the centre a large sofa curved around in a right angle, it looked as if it could fit about twelve, and two smaller love seats sat opposite it. All of the seats were gathered around a beautifully carved old oak table, on top of which stood the most beautiful array of flowers that burst out of their vase, their delicate scent permeating the air. Of course there was a television, a very strategic gap had been left in the circle of seat arrangements, obviously designed for the gigantic flat screen television that I knew Emmett couldn't live without. My attention was attracted by a sudden squeal from the upstairs balcony and I looked up to see Alice's pixie like face smiling down at us.

'They're back! They're back!' Alice yelled, running straight to Jasper, who scooped her up in his arms, un-phased by her higher than normal level of enthusiasm. Immediately Esme, Emmett, Rose, Katlyn and Eric appeared up on the balcony too, they were all covered pretty much head to toe in paint and I laughed at their appearance as they grinned down at us. Not everyone had come in from outside yet, Anthony said he was taking a look at the cars but I had a feeling he was nervous about seeing Rose. Esme came down the stairs, kissing Carlisle softly in greeting and then ushering us all over to the sofas, I sat down between Edward and Alice who was still giddily hopping up and down, I rolled my eyes at her and chuckled.

'Everyone, this is Oliver, Violet, Paige and Thomas, you already know Eleazar, Carmen and Tanya of course.' Carlisle said, gesturing to everyone, I had a feeling he was aware that Anthony was waiting for the right time to come in, I could hear him in the distance pacing nervously and smiled to myself. 'Now this is my mate Esme, my daughter Alice, Jasper's mate, my other daughter Rose and her mate Emmett, Eric and his sister Katlyn, they're the newest members of our family' he smiled and I noticed Katlyn couldn't keep her eyes off Thomas, who was trying very hard not to stare at her in return. And there goes another one I thought, we're probably being stalked by cupid.

'And then there's me' Anthony's voice came from the doorway and Rose, who had her back to him, frowned for a second before slowly turning around. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw him standing there, smiling anxiously at her. She jumped up and ran over to him at lightning speed that I doubted even Edward could beat, finally arriving in front of him, she looked up at him for a second. I couldn't see her face but judging by the sheer joy radiating from them I didn't think she was angry like he'd been worried. She threw her arms around him, remembering at the last minute to angle her body so that she didn't injure him with her now giant pregnancy bump. I watched happily as they stood there holding each other for what seemed like hours before they broke apart.

'Does someone want to explain what's going on?' Emmett asked, not jealous just confused about the Rose's strange behaviour. The expressions on Esme, Eric and Katlyn's faces mirrored his confusion as they watched suspiciously whilst Alice just hummed happily to herself, it figured that Alice would have foreseen the reunion, I'm just glad she kept it quiet so as not to ruin the surprise.

'This is Anthony, Emmett…Anthony!' Rose laughed, pulling Anthony over to the sofa by the hand, her face glowing with happiness as Emmett processed her words.

'Wait…_the_ Anthony? Holy crap! How?' he asked, Rose was about to answer then probably realised she had no idea _how_ exactly Anthony had come to be here. She frowned for a second, letting go of Anthony's hand and contemplating something; she turned slowly towards him, the happiness became dimmed by the sudden anger now shining in her eyes as she glared at him.

'.'...Vampire. You ass!' she growled, hitting him with every word as he held his hands up in surrender, trying to back away as she attacked him. I sighed, hoping it was just the pregnancy hormones that were causing this.

'Calm down Rose' Carlisle said, coming over to her side and placing his hands gently on her arms as she raised them to strike again. 'He thought you were dead, he only found out you were a vampire when he ran into Edward and Bella' he said softly and his words seemed to penetrate the mist of anger.

'It's true, he was so happy when he found out you were alive, that's why he's here' I said and she smiled slightly, her eyes misting as if she wanted to cry, but her vampire body wouldn't let her.

'I…just…missed you so much, I went back looking for you but you were gone. I thought you had left or were dead. You're my father; I don't care if it's not by blood. It killed me not to be able to see you every day, or introduce you to Emmett' she said, her voice breaking as she got the words out and she started sobbing quietly.

'Shhh Rosie, I know. I felt the same way. When I thought you'd been killed I went insane, you were my only family and I had lost you forever. I'm so sorry that I didn't try harder to find you, but I had no idea you were still alive until I ran into you brother in Chicago' he whispered as he held her, stroking her hair. This was a whole new side of Rose, I had seen the softness before a on a few rare occasions, but it was always so over shadowed by her usual tenacious nature that I often forgot about this side of her. The way she was now was so unlike the Rose I knew, it was like she had closed herself off when she had lost Anthony, and now that he was back, she was allowing herself to be vulnerable again. She visibly calmed and her sobs quietened, I could see a small smile touch her lips as she let out a shaky laugh.

'Pregnancy hormones' she mumbled and he chuckled, following her back to the sofa where he sat next to her and Emmett, she curled into his side and smiled. Emmett was grinning widely too, he was pretty much content as long as Rose was happy, or if he had a football game to watch.

'Nice to meet you finally' Emmett grinned, reaching over Rose to shake his hand. 'So you're the one who taught my grease monkey how to work an engine eh?' he asked and Anthony smiled back at him, nodding slightly. A glimmer of approval shone in his eyes briefly as he looked at Emmett, anyone who was in a room with Emmett and Rose for more than a second could automatically see they were crazy for each other, it seemed like Anthony had just figured that out for himself. The rest of the family were still a bit confused as to whom exactly Anthony was to Rose, I had assumed that the only reason why I hadn't heard of him was because I was so new to the family, but it seemed that only Edward and Emmett had known about him. Rose and Anthony explained the story, each filling in the other's gaps in knowledge. Anthony's hand clenched into a fist when Rose retold how Royce had killed her, relaxing once she went on to describe Carlisle saving her. She explained how she had hunted down and killed Royce and his friends. He seemed proud of her for this; after all he had intended to do the same thing himself, only she got there first. Conversation moved on after that, Carlisle filled everyone in on how the meeting went; they seemed as surprised as we were to hear that Caius had a brother.

'So this Vasilios guy reckons he should be what…our king?' Emmett asked, raising his eyebrow, 'how did he react to being told to piss off?'

'Oh he didn't like it at all, him and that hag he called a mate left with their tails between their legs, I doubt they'll ever be able to gain much of a following, they're hardly the type that inspire loyalty' Sam answered. I agreed, the only reason why people even followed the Volturi's rules was because they were so afraid of them, but Vasilios was only one person, so they had no reason to follow him. I did worry that we hadn't seen the last of him. I didn't think he'd attack us directly, he seemed too cowardly for that, but I doubted he'd let things go without at least trying to his own back. He'll probably just try and catch us unaware; striking without giving us a chance to fight back, though hopefully Alice would foresee something like that.

'You know, that _whole Dead Poets Society_ thing you had going was hilarious' Jake laughed looking over at Thomas, 'effective yes, and very moving but still ridiculous' he grinned.

'What bit are you talking about?' Emmett asked, looking from Thomas to Jacob.

'The bit where Oliver, Violet and Thomas here…' he explained nudging Thomas, who looked slightly embarrassed, 'started making speeches and getting everyone to stand up, it was like that Robin Williams movie where they all stand on their desks and yell _O' Captain, my Captain! _You should have seen that asshole's face when they got everyone standing up and told him to get lost, I swear if his face got any more puckered he'd end up looking like his wife' Jake laughed and we all joined in. Thomas, Violet and Oliver shifted uncomfortably in their seats, at the time they had been happy to stand up against Vasilios, but I supposed that now they may feel slightly embarrassed about the drama of it all. Jake patted Thomas on the back, chuckling to himself.

'Okay okay! So maybe we did get a tad over the top about it all, but I got caught up in the moment and that Vasilios guy just rubbed me up the wrong way, now that I'm a member of _oh so powerful_ committee, I'm never gonna let some ass like him take control' Thomas said laughing.

'What happened to the _legendary guardians?'_ Jasper asked, 'I liked that title' he grinned at Thomas. 'So is your power close to mine, I can sense and manipulate emotions. From the sounds of it you can sense them but you can see the deeper reasons behind them as well, is that right?' he asked and Thomas shrugged.

'Yeah that's my power basically, not very useful though. You have a shield, mind reader and god knows what Paige can do, as long as I can tell whether someone's really naughty or nice' Thomas said sarcastically and Carlisle sighed. I still wondered what Paige's gift was, Eleazar had hinted that it was pretty powerful but she hadn't told us yet. Eleazar's gaze kept flickering back to Paige ever couple of seconds as she fiddled with her hands self-consciously.

'Thomas, I hope you know it's more than that.' Carlisle said, 'even with Edward's mind Reading abilities and Jaspers empathy, none of us are able to truly see what's inside a person, to know in an instant the depths of one person's soul is a very rare and special gift. Isn't that right Eleazar?'

'He's right Thomas' Eleazar answered, smiling at him, 'and you have only just begun to tap into your true power' Eleazar said mysteriously. Great, one more person to drop cryptic hints, that's just what I needed.

'Is that your ability, to be able to see people's hearts? That's so romantic' Katlyn whispered staring at him, he looked away, trying not to smile but failing dismally, I could definitely see there was a spark.

'So what happened after that Vasaline guy left', Emmet asked and I laughed at the nickname for Vasilios, it actually fit him quite well; greasy, yellowing and weird smelling… yep, that pretty much described him perfectly I thought. Carlisle summed up what happened at the rest of the meeting, about the nomination and vote and how Jake had phased in front of everyone.

'So wait, it's you, Edward, Bella, Thomas, Paige, Oliver, Eleazar, Violet, Jasper and Maggie right?' Alice asked.

'Yep that about sums it up, there's not that much to it really. We're going to meet every few months to discuss things and we're going to be the ones to call if there's ever a threat to be dealt with apparently' I answered her, 'you should have seen Jake though, he let some of the vampires pet him for crying out loud' Jake laughed while Sam just shook his head in exasperation, clearly clueless as to how Jake could be so blasé about…well…_everything_.

'That's because no one can resist a sweet and cuddly puppy' Jake grinned and I rolled my eyes at him.

'You loved the attention Jake' Sam sighed, not able to stop himself from smiling a little, he may see Jake as his equal as an Alpha, but he still obviously thought Jake was ridiculous, I couldn't blame him there, thought it was part of why I loved him so much. 'Well I'm off back to LaPush, Jake, you coming?' he asked.

'Yeah…' Jake yawned, coming over to peck my cheek, 'I need to tell to Billy about the meeting, he'll be rolling holes in the carpet by the time I get back' he laughed and waved by to Leah who was coming down the stairs with her brother, they were both also covered in paint, with their hair sticking up all over place and sleep filled eyes. She sat herself next to Eric who put his arm around her shoulders; Seth took the empty seat next to Emmett and yawned hugely, laughing when Emmett flicked a cushion at his gaping mouth.

'So Oliver, how does your tracking work' Carlisle asked, curiosity shining in his gaze the way it did whenever there was new information to be learnt, I let out an involuntary shudder at the word _tracker_.

'Sorry, just had some bad experiences with trackers' I explained, giving him a small smile, 'it's good to meet a nice one for once. Though the Volturi had a tracker, so why did they want you to join them?' I asked. I knew that Demetri was meant to have been an exceptional tracker, so Oliver must be even better or have some other talent that Aro needed. Eleazar, looked at him for a second and smiled.

'You really are very powerful indeed' he said and Oliver looked slightly wary, Edward must have picked up on it because he placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder.

'I know that the Volturi made your life hell because of your gift, but that's not why you're here, Eleazar is just interested in powers, that's all' he said and Oliver relaxed slightly.

'Sorry, I just spent so long running from them that it's hard to get used to being able to openly discuss it, without having to look over my shoulder' he chuckled grimly and sighed, Tanya clasped his hand and he smiled softly at her. 'The way it works is I just need a name, or a good description, and then I can sort of see them in my mind. See what they're doing, where they are, even smell their surroundings. I used it for years to know where the Volturi were at all times so I could avoid them. Didn't stop them from coming after my friends though, I've lost several that way' he sighed and everyone nodded in understanding, one of the Volturi's favourite things to do was killing the friends of vampires they wanted in their guard, they reckoned that it would make the vampire feel defeated and join them, though usually it just made people hate them more.

'That really is quite the ability. Demetri always needed to find a way to locate the person's brain pattern when tracking them, but you can do it with only a simple description or name' Carlisle said thoughtfully and smiled. I considered Oliver; both James and Demetri had taken a sort of sick pleasure in using their gifts to hunt their prey, James used it as some twisted game while Demetri would hunt for the Volturi, enjoying the thrill he felt when he pursued someone across the world, letting them think they could escape before the guard wiped them out. I looked at him, as he absentmindedly fiddled with the hem of Tanya's dress, trying to see if that same malicious hunger for the hunt that James and Demetri had was also present in his eyes. I had always assumed that being a tracker was a reflection of the person's love for stalking their prey and playing games with them, but I had just had the poor luck of meeting the ones that did. But the only thing I could see in Oliver's eyes was hints of kindness and humour. He reminded me slightly of Jasper in a way, his manner being subdued, but still open and friendly when he wanted to be I thought, as I watched him join in with the laughter at Seth and Leah getting into another one of their hilarious sibling quarrels.

I was still curious about Paige's power, Edward had mentioned that it was quite acute in its effectiveness; Eleazar was still shooting her glances every now and again as Carmen rolled her eyes at his lack of subtlety. Because of his gift, Eleazar seemed to be drawn to powerful people; it explained why he was so close to the Cullens. People like Edward and Alice fascinated him, and by the looks of it, Paige now too.

'So Paige, what exactly is your power?' Emmett asked when there was a small lull in the conversation; so I wasn't the only one who had been curious, we turned to look at her as she sat there like a deer caught in headlights.

'Fire' she said, matter-of-factly. Fire? What did she mean by that? Was it like Benjamin, who could control the elements, or Kate, who could cover her body in electricity? Her answer was somewhat vague as she leant back in her seat, fiddling with her hands.

'Like you can create fire or…' Seth asked and she bit her lip, I could tell that she didn't much like talking about herself; Oliver had been hesitant because he had spent years being hunted for his gift, but I think in the case of Paige it was more a matter of shyness around new people. Alice smiled warmly at her in encouragement and Paige's lips reflected the smile, somewhat uncertainly. She sighed and looked back at Seth, taking an unnecessary breath.

'Fine, I can turn into fire…or smoke' she mumbled fast, tucking her vivid hair behind her ear and looking anywhere else but at us.

'I don't see why you're embarrassed about it, it seems really awesome to me' Seth said grinning at her.

'I'm not embarrassed…It's just that whenever people know about it they always treat me differently, like they're scared of me or something' she sighed looking down. I understood what she was talking about, I'd seen it before; sometimes the vampires with really powerful gifts ended up scaring people away, like with Ben, but his vibrant personality usually made up for it. Unfortunately, Paige didn't have the same easy going nature that drew people to Ben, so I could see how having a frightening ability would make people uneasy around her. In the case of Jane, she had enjoyed the fear her power invoked in people, but I imagined that Paige didn't like the idea of people being scared of her the way that Jane had. She was so small and shy that I figured she probably had a hard enough time making friends to begin with; it must be difficult knowing that the few friends you _do_ make will be scared away if you use your gift.

'Well I don't think you're scary' Seth shrugged and she smiled slightly, 'I also doubt the Cullen's do, hell, Emmett will probably beg you to set fire to him' he smirked and Emmett grinned in agreement.

The sun was beginning to peek through the windows now, casting a multi-coloured glow on the floor as daylight began to flood in. I looked at my watch and was shocked at the time; it was almost seven in the morning and the sleeping people would be stirring soon, I kissed Edward softly and went to go get Nessie. I followed her scent and found her room at the end of one of the hallways, it was a creamy lavender in colour with a princess style bed sitting in the centre. I heard her stirring and settled myself gently next to her pillow, softly stroking her hair as her eyes fluttered open.

'Momma?' she yawned, rubbing her eyes as I smiled down at her.

'Yeah honey, we're home. You ready to get up now?' I whispered and she grinned.

'Grandma let me paint' she mumbled sleepily, pointing at her walls with her tiny hand, 'do you like it?' she asked, sitting up.

'Oh I love it honey, it's so pretty' I answered, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead before pulling out some clothes and helping her get dressed. I picked her up and carried her down the stairs, telling her about the visitors that had come to stay, she perked up when she heard Carmen's name and wiggled in my arms to get down. I sighed and let her down, watching her run off towards the living room and following her in as she climbed into Carmen's lap. Oliver and Tanya had disappeared somewhere, no surprise there. I also spotted Katlyn and Thomas sitting close to each other on the Sofas talking, while Eric and Leah played a game of scrabble at the coffee table. I went through a large archway that lead into the kitchen, where Esme and Edward were cooking, chopping vegetables on the beautiful black marble island in the centre, above which hung a rack full of pots and pans. Carlisle must have shut himself in his office with Eleazar, that's where the two of them usually spent most of their time when he visited. I walked quietly over to Edward and placed my arms around his middle, kissing his back before moving off to help with breakfast. I was in the middle of whisking eggs when Rose hobbled into the room, looking pained as Anthony and Emmett supported her. Edward dropped his knife, running over to her side as Anthony placed her arm around Edward's shoulders.

'What's wrong?' I asked, glancing between them worriedly.

'We need to get her up to Carlisle' he grunted, steering a panting Rose back towards the living room, 'she's gone into labour'.


	14. World's Best Mechanic

**A/N: I don't know much about engines so most of the shop talk is either guessing or the internet. Let me know what you think about Elsie's power : )**

Chapter 14:

I helped Edward carry Rose up to Carlisle's office as Anthony hovered anxiously behind, clearly unsure of what to do. I was happy that Rose had him back in her life, I knew how much she had missed him all these years, and now that he was around it was as if she was exuding an aura of constant happiness that made everyone around her equally as giddy. We made it to the hallway leading to Carlisle's office just as Eleazar ran out, making way for us as he held the door open. Carlisle already had the hospital bed set up at the side of the office and we rushed her over, placing her down carefully.

'How long is it going to last?' I asked, Rose looked like she was in quite a bit of pain so I could only hope that it would be a short labour, not long and endless like some human labours could get, I had heard of some of them lasting well over a day in length and shuddered at the thought of Rose being in pain for that long. Carlisle looked to his watch and then at something written down on a notepad he had in front of him.

'Around forty minutes, according to a vision that Alice had this morning Rose will be finished giving birth at 11:27 and it's almost 10:50 now' he answered, getting out a pile of towels and a large bowl. Alice had been having a lot of visions about the babies she and Rose were carrying, she'd started writing all of the details down and giving them to Carlisle so that he could have all the information he needed to deliver them. 'Anthony, could you go and fetch some warm water please' he asked, holding the bowl out to Anthony who looked grateful that he had something to do instead of just pacing around nervously. He ran off, returning about a minute later with the bowl filled, placing it down on the table that Carlisle gestured to and coming over to stand next to Rose, taking a hold of her hand. Edward had left so it was only me, Anthony and Carlisle in here with Rose. She still looked to be in quite a bit of pain, her face grew even paler than normal as all the blood in her system gathered around her stomach, Carlisle had given her a robe to change into but I could still see part of her reddened stomach. I glanced over at Carlisle to see if he had noticed it and he smiled gently at me.

'That's meant to happen; apparently it helps her deliver the babies' he answered as he came over to stand at the end of the bed. The door opened and Jasper came in, taking a position behind Rose and placing his hands on her shoulders. Her breathing calmed as she seemed to relax, he must be using his power to sooth the pain I thought, giving him a grateful smile.

'Are you going to be okay with all the blood?' Carlisle asked, looking anxiously at Jasper.

'I'll be fine' he answered, 'it's only the animal blood from her last hunt so I won't be that tempted, besides, Alice told me I'll be concentrating on keeping her calm so I won't notice it that much. Besides, my control is a lot better now. I can do it' he said and Carlisle nodded, I was still slightly worried but decided to put it out of my mind, this wasn't like Bella's birth. The blood wouldn't be fresh human blood and I had noticed that Jasper's control had gotten almost as good as the rest of our family's lately. My focus had to be Rose now, I stroked her hair gently, letting my hand rest against her cheek as she leant into it and looked up at me. The calm moment was broken though when her whole body shook and she hissed. I could see now that the skin over her stomach was moving slightly, that must have been a contraction.

'You okay sweetie?' I asked just before she had another contraction, she responded by moaning and gripping my arm, the sharp nails digging into my skin hurt like hell but I ignored it.

'What…do…you…think….you….idiot' she huffed, glaring at me and I held back a smile, trust her to throw a tantrum whilst in labour, though from what I'd seen in films it was normal for the women to go a bit…crazy. Jasper sent another ripple of calm through her and she loosened her death grip on my arm, I resisted the urge to rub the wound, she'd probably injure me again when she had her next contraction so it was useless trying to soothe it now.

'Is it time to push? I asked Carlisle and he nodded, grabbing one of the towels and getting it ready. 'Okay honey, did you hear? You need to push now' I said to Rose, she grunted and took a hold of my hand again, steading herself as she began to push with all her strength.

'That's it, that's it…push again Rose, the first one's almost out' Carlisle said, I could smell the blood but it wasn't making me thirsty, I briefly glanced over at Jasper but he was totally focused on Rose, only flickering his gaze to the blood for a split second before returning to the task of easing her pain. She groaned and pushed again even harder, hissing with the effort for about five seconds before her whole body slumped, her breathing heavy. Carlisle emerged with a bundle in his arms; the towel was soaking up the blood as he handed it to Anthony, murmuring something to him. Anthony nodded and sped to the table, using the water to wash the child who hadn't cried even once. I was worried, weren't new-borns supposed to cry, was the baby alright? I focused my senses on the small pale child in his arms, a small leg kicked out slightly as it began squirming in his arms and I breathed a sigh of relief. Now that I thought about it I didn't see why the children would cry, it was a natural reaction for human babies from the confusion of being born, but Nessie had understood what was happening when she was being delivered, so there was no reason why my children shouldn't either.

I turned my attention back to Rose, squeezing her hand reassuringly as she moaned softly, her body beginning to tense again as the next round of contractions began to hit, it must be time to deliver the second child I thought, as her breathing quickened and she gripped my hand as if she was trying to bend steel. I looked over at Carlisle who was bent down slightly, looking at a part of her that preferably no one but me would ever see. He straightened up and grabbed another towel, placing it at the end of the hospital bed.

'Rose, the second baby is crowning so it's time to push again, it'll be easier this time I promise' he said softly and she nodded, taking in a deep breath before furrowing her brow with the effort of pushing. She groaned loudly, pushing with all of her available strength for a few seconds before Carlisle emerged with another bundle, walking it over to the table where Anthony had just finished dressing the first child. Rose's sighed softly and slumped backwards, resting her head to one side and taking a few deep breaths in.

'Are you okay babe, how you feeling?' I asked, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and then her lips. I felt her smile and moved my head back to look at her, she grinned up at me and then twisted her body to look behind her where Carlisle and Anthony were holding the twins, I squeezed her hand and stood up, understanding what she wanted. I got to the table, noticing the wet and bloody towels had been cleared away. Carlisle turned and smiled at me as he delicately placed the squirming bundle into my arms. I adjusted so that the child was nestling safely in the crook of my arm, smiling down at the little figure. Carlisle went back over to clean up the table as Anthony took the other child over to see Rose, but all of their actions were blurred into the background as I looked down at the tiny person in my arms. She had the most lovely ivory skin that was almost luminescent beneath the light of the room, her beautiful golden hair was already thick and slightly curling as it grew before my eyes, it seemed that every single shade of molten gold was reflected in each silk like strand of her hair as I gently caressed the silken threads. Her eyes though, they were the most astounding thing, I had been expecting blood red eyes because she was after all a vampire, but something about the way she was created had allowed her to have her own beautiful eyes. They were a stunning shade of blue, almost violet in their colour as she stared up at me. I smiled down at her in wonder as she grasped at the air in front of her, I caught her tiny little hand and gasped when she clasped onto my finger, her entire hand was small enough that she only barely managed to get a hold of it. She had strength; that much I could feel as she held on tightly, not enough to really hurt me but enough so that I could feel the power that she already had. I pulled my finger out of her grasp and her little brow furrowed as she reached out to try and grab it again, causing me to laugh softly. She mimicked me, letting out her own burst of sound as she giggled; the sound was like a million little chimes that made me want to cry. She stopped giggling and grasped at the air again so I let her have my hand to play with as I carried her over to Rose.

'Do you want to meet your mommy?' I whispered and she smiled a bright smile that showed the dimples in her cheeks. I looked across at Rose who was still on the hospital bed, it was free of any remnants of her delivery now and she had a blanket over her lap as she leant against a pile of pillows, keeping her upright as she rocked another little child in her arms. The look of sheer joy on her face was heart breaking as I watched her gaze down at our son, who's little hands clutched onto a lock of her hair and tugged, causing her to chuckle softly as she tried to gently pry it out of his grasp. I looked down at the boy and gasped, a foggy memory of my human self coming to mind as I gazed into eyes that were identical to how my own once were. They were a striking blue that was comprised of a million different tones, with a deeper, sapphire colour that encircled the outside of his irises. His hair was also like mine, slightly less curly, but the same dark, rich brown colour that was almost black. The contrast between his dark hair and the brightness of his eyes had a striking effect, increased by the luminosity of his alabaster skin. I grinned over at Rose, who was busy taking in every detail of the little girl in my arms, she looked up at me, her face radiant with joy and she laughed. I joined in, taking a seat on the bed next to her as Edward came in through the door.

'Just so you know, everyone wants to meet the babies, especially Alice. So I'd hurry up unless you want her to explode' he said, looking down at the little girl in my arms. 'So you're Elsie are you?' he whispered, smiling down at her as she mirrored the expression, her pearly white teeth glinting. He looked over at the little boy in Rose's arms and his grin widened, 'and you, must be Zack, you look exactly like your dad little one, poor you' he chuckled and I rolled my eyes, he knew I could hit him because of Elsie so he was taking advantage of it, smirking as he straightened up.

'Tell everyone we'll be down in a second' Rose said and he nodded, disappearing out of the door.

'We'll give you two some privacy, we'll be downstairs with the others when you're ready' Anthony said, placing a kiss on Rose's head and gazing down at the children for a second before disappearing out the door with Carlisle and Jasper. I held onto both the babies while Rose got dressed, if they were human new-borns I would have had difficulty being able to cradle them both, but because they were developing so rapidly, they were already able to keep themselves upright as I cuddled them both to my chest, one tiny head against each shoulder. We headed out of Carlisle's office and down the stairs towards where I could hear our family eagerly waiting on the sofas, true to his word Alice was bouncing up and down in her seat her gaze fixed on us, a wide grin spread across her face.

'Let me see!' she cried, leaping up and meeting us halfway, being careful not to startle the babies. They didn't seem fazed though; Elsie stared at her aunt with a smile as Alice cooed over her, holding her hands out in request. I rolled my eyes and passed her Elsie, gently placing her in her arms, following her to the sofa as Rose trailed behind me, still cradling Zack as we sat down on the empty love seat. Elsie and Zack made the rounds, being passed from person to person like a weird game of pass the parcel. Our family oohed and ahhed over them, playing with their little hands and feet and laughing when Elsie accidentally slammed her hand in Seth's face, causing his nose to fracture slightly.

'She really is strong isn't she' he laughed, holding his nose, 'I'm not bleeding am I?' he asked.

'No you're not, it's only a small fracture, in fact it's probably healed already. She's a vampire so she's bound to be strong. It's strange about their eyes though, I was expecting them to be red' Carlisle mused, perching Zack on his lap as he looked into his eyes, Zack just sat their staring back at him as if saying _what do you think you're looking at_.

'Why do you think they're like that?' Bella asked as she cradled Elsie, Nessie was kneeling on the floor next to her, stroking her golden hair.

'Probably something to do with the way they were conceived, my best guess is that because they're a combination of both of you, they got your original eyes, just like how Nessie got Bella's eyes. We'll never really know for sure, but that's my guess' he shrugged, the movement caused Zack to lift into the air slightly and he clapped his hands. 'Oh you like that do you little man?' Carlisle grinned and began gently bouncing him on his knees, causing Zack to laugh hysterically.

'Gampa! Gampa!' he yelled in a soft pealing voice and we all froze, turning to look at him, he looked curiously back at us and smiled.

'Did he just…speak?' Bella asked and Carlisle nodded slowly, a small smile touched his lips and he sighed.

'I guess they develop a little faster than we expected' he said and I relaxed slightly. I didn't even know why I panicked. We already knew that they would grow fast, fully matured in about three years Alice had said, I guess we were just shocked to witness just how rapidly they were maturing.

'Can you say _momma_? _Mo_…_mma_' Rose cooed, leaning forwards toward Elsie who was still in Bella's lap. Elsie's little eyebrows knitted together and she looked at her mom, her violet eyes flicked towards me and she lifted up a tiny hand in my direction.

'Papa' she smiled, clasping her hand open and closed in towards me and I leaned forward, scooping her up into my arms, grinning. Rose crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, blowing her hair out of her face.

'Typical, she had to be a daddy's girl didn't she' she snorted, rolling her eyes. A small smile curled her lips upwards anyway and she sighed. We all laughed, continuing to spending the next hour cooing over the twins.

Zack had taken quite a fondness to Thomas, crawling over to him whenever he was placed onto the ground. Edward commented on the way their minds worked, apparently they had already catalogued who everyone was and their roles in the family, Nessie was their big sister in their minds and I wondered whether that would change as they overtook her in a couple of years. I didn't mind much, this was a good family for them to have, a bit confusing, but the perfect environment for them to grow up in.

Over the next couple of days, Zack and Elsie grew at incredible speed. They looked roughly four months old and were already developing their own little personality quirks, if he wasn't toddling around after Carlisle, Zack would be found somewhere in the house drawing with the crayons that Esme had bought him. Likewise, Elsie loved spending time with me, she was quite the little tomboy, though she had developed her mother's and aunt's passion for clothes, she loved to be dressed up by Alice and getting her hair plaited by Rose. Though she'd usually ruin her outfits within only a couple of hours, always wandering up to Rose covered in mud from one of Esme's plants or grease from the garage where she'd sit and watch me work on the cars. It was Saturday and I was in the garage, working on an old Chevy I had picked up, I knew how much Bella had loved her truck and that she didn't have quite the same enthusiasm for sports cars that the rest of my family did, so Rose had suggested we buy an old car and fix it up for her so that she could have both speed and nostalgia. Elsie was sitting over in the corner next to the tools, she knew not to wander too much around in here, the last thing I wanted was for her to end up squished underneath an engine block, even though she'd easily survive unscathed. But I wouldn't risk hurting my little angel.

'Ummm Babe…why is our daughter playing with a carburettor?' Rose asked, coming into the garage with Carlisle.

'What are you talking about honey? The only carburettors are already in the cars, the out of the Chevy is long gone, I took it apart to use for spares, the remains are in the junk pile in the corner over there' I answered, wiping my hands off on an old rag and turning around to face her. She raised her eyebrow and pointed over to the corner where Elsie was sitting next to the junk pile, covered in grease and grinning up at us. She had somehow managed to get her hands on some tools and they lay scattered around her feet amongst the remnants of the pile of scrap engine parts that she had obviously been digging though. In her hand she held a carburettor, well it seemed like one. They were used to control the fuel and air flowing into an engine but this one looked different, it was slightly smaller and longer than the ones I had seen and it seemed to have been built from the various bits and pieces that had been discarded in the corner.

'How did you get that honey?' I asked, walking over and kneeling down next to her. She smiled up at me, holding the object aloft with ease, though it must be quite heavy.

'I built it papa' she grinned, passing it to me and I took it in my hands 'I saw you put one in the big red car and I wanted to make one, I added a filter though, so that the bad gasses can't hurt anyone' she said and I stared at the item in shock, inspecting it. She was right, it was different because it was an entirely new creation altogether. I turned it over in my hands, examining it from all the angles. It had the same basic mechanics, but I could see she had built some sort of filtering device that would eradicate any unwanted emissions completely; the leaner model would take up less room without sacrificing performance. In fact, now that I had taken a proper look at it, I could see that it would do nothing _but_ drastically improve every aspect of its functions, making it faster, more efficient and completely harmless to the environment.

'Carlisle, she's right' I murmured and explained everything I had observed about the object, he stared from it to Elsie in shock for a second and then tapped his chin thoughtfully and smiled.

'It seems son, that your daughter has a gift' he said and Elsie clapped happily, tottering over to where we were standing and smiling up at us as we looked down at her in amazement.

We went back into the house, Elsie took great pleasure in telling the whole family that she was special now, though she was special enough before, I had to admit I was very proud of my little girl, of all the powers in the world, she got the best one I thought, grinning to myself and hugging Rose to my side.

'So what exactly would it be classified as?' Carlisle asked Eleazar, who beckoned Elsie to come over him. She pattered over, and jumped into his lap, and he asked her to describe exactly what is was that she did and what she was thinking when she did. She explained enthusiastically about how she had seen the object in her head and found the parts in the pile, and how putting the parts together felt easy, like she automatically knew how to build it. He looked pensive for a few seconds before smiling slightly, looking over at me and Rose, who had taken a seat next to Carlisle on the couch, pulling Zack onto her lap.

'It's quite simple really, her mind is able to view something and then instantly understand the mechanics of it, allowing her to know automatically how to take it apart, rebuild it or change it into something else entirely. Likewise, she's able to analyse things and come up with whole new styles of engineering, allowing her to invent things which would take most scientists and engineers decades to even begin to build. But she's able to create it as soon as she's thought of it, which is almost instantaneously' he explained, smiling softly down at Elsie who was fiddling with his pocket watch, 'I'd call it a…mechanical intuition so to speak, she seems to have a powerful and immediate insight into the inner workings of anything mechanical or technical' he shrugged and I let out a laugh.

'She's the perfect little mechanic, aren't you angel?' I cooed, scooping her up as she giggled in my arms. 'Come on, let's go work on some cars, maybe you can show your mom a thing or two about engines' I chuckled, winking at Rose who rolled her eyes at me but smiled anyway. She often tried to act annoyed but it never really stuck, when she did throw a real tantrum though, I knew to run away. I looked down at Elsie in my arms as headed outside towards the garage; she was playing with a grease stain that she'd gotten on her dress, trying to rub it out. I had never expected either of our children to develop a gift, I knew it was usually about fifty/fifty when it came to vampires but it helped if the parents were also gifted, like with Nessie and most probably Alice and Jaz's child when it was born. But I was proud of Elsie, she could probably do anything with her power; invent whole new technologies that could help people or just make life a lot easier. The possibilities really were endless.

I paused as we entered the garden, the sun was shining brightly, though the temperature was still cold, and I took a minute to let Elsie marvel at her glowing skin as she held up her tiny arm, comparing it to how mine glittered. Hers was less pronounced than the rest of our family, Elsie and Zack were more like Nessie in the way that their skin glowed, they would still have the strength and speed of a full vampire, but their eyes and slightly less luminescent skin would allow them to fit in more with the human world. I watched as Nessie sat in the grass, playing with Jake and felt Elsie squirm in my arms, wishing to be let down. I sighed and placed her down, watching her run slightly awkwardly over to them, she may be a vampire but she was also an infant so her walking was still slightly unsteady. Seth stepped out next to me, grinning at the sight of Jacob with countless pink bows in his hair. Leah came out behind him and rolled her eyes, nudging me.

'I wouldn't let Seth near Elsie if I were you' she grinned and Seth elbowed her in the stomach. 'Even though she's a vampire he may try to imprint on her' she explained and I raised my eyebrow at him as he shrugged. Jacob laughed and jogged over, leaving Nessie and Elsie to play.

'She's right, since Embry imprinted on a local girl a last week he's been spending his days trying to imprint on ever girl he meets, nearly scared the crap out of the pizza delivery chick yesterday' Jacob said chuckling as Seth shuffled his feet, the mental image of a girl running away because of Seth hitting on her instead of the fact that it was a house full of vampires was hilarious.

Renesmee ran over to Seth and jumped into his arms, 'can I do your hair? Jakey let me do his!' she asked pointing over to Jacob, whose head now resembled a Christmas tree.

'What?' he pouted when Seth burst out laughing, 'don't I look pretty?'

'More like a dog that's been taken to the beauty parlour' Leah huffed and rolled her eyes.

'Don't be mean Aunt Leah' Renesmee scowled; leaning forward to pat Jake on the head, 'I think he looks very handsome' she smiled as he grinned back. I was about to make fun of Jake myself when we were all alerted to the sound of someone fast approaching the house from the other side of the river, another rapid heartbeat grew closer as Nahuel spun around on the bench where he was reading, and smiled.

'She came all the way here?' he murmured to himself as we all looked at him in confusion, Carlisle came outside to see who it was that was quickly heading our way.

'Don't worry Carlisle, it's my sister' Nahuel smiled as he went to the river to greet the new comer.


	15. Midnight Party

**A/N: Ket me know what you think of Nelle, we don't see much of her personality in this chapter but I promise we get to know her a bit more throughout the book. Also, I added the Emily thing after a reviewer (Hanora) mentioned her in regards to Eric's ability. I thought of having him remove her scars but then figured that it wouldn't be something she would do. Please review and let me know what you think.**

Chapter 15:

**Seth's POV**

I heard the rapid heartbeat of someone fast approaching us. My whole body stiffened as I tracked the movement through the woods on the over side of the wasn't anyone on alert, no one really seemed to expecting anything hostile as Nahuel got up, murmuring something I didn't quite catch to Carlisle and made his way down the garden.I stood frozen, watching as a pale streak hurtled through the woods towards him. I couldn't explain why l felt a strange pull towards the visitor, I had to physically stop my body from responding to the urge to claim and protect…_something_, but I didn't know what.

'Dude, what's up, it's just Nahuel's sister, why you looking so freaked?' Emmett asked, nudging me in the ribs.

'I uh…dunno' I mumbled, trying to resist the strange sensation I was feeling as the blur approached Nahuel, something must be wrong with me today.

'Whatever, so who's the visitor?' I asked as Emmett raised his eyebrow at me, my head had turned fuzzy, there was definitely something up with me. I might be coming down with something, but it wasn't normal for a member of the pack to get sick.

'I already told you, it's Nahuel's sister, what is up with you man? You're acting weird' he asked, looking me up and down as I tried to shake myself out of my daze.

He said something else to me but I couldn't hear a word he was saying, because my entire world had narrowed down to a single focus as the figure crossed the river and walked up the lawn towards me, everything else blurred into the background as my gaze fixed upon her.

She was beautiful.

She had long black hair that was almost blue, making it resemble a midnight sky. It fell down to her waist in soft waves as the late afternoon sun glimmered off it, causing the blue in it to dance around in the light. Making her even more striking were her silver grey eyes, so contrasting to the deep bluish-black of her hair that you couldn't help but get sucked into them. Her skin was the colour of creamy ivory with the subtlest of rosy flushes in her cheeks; making her look fragile, like a china doll. And her lips were the colour of berries, making me want to taste them, to see if they were as soft as they looked.

I couldn't believe the vision before my eyes as she looked back at me, a look of happiness and confusion on her face that must have mirrored mine. She was only slightly shorter than me in height, but instead of the slight awkwardness that I'd only just grown out of, her walk was like a graceful stride as she got closer to where I was frozen in place. Who was this woman and why did I feel like everything in my life was nothing but a meaningless preface to meeting her?

'Hi' she said in a voice as gentle and entrancing as her eyes. I controlled myself enough not to faint at the simple word, feeling my entire body burn with a bewildering electricity.

'Hey' I replied, 'I'm Seth Clearwater and I think I love you' I admitted, smiling at her radiance and only realising after a second that I'd actually just declared my love for a complete stranger. I felt a heat spread across my cheeks, but still unable to look away as her answering smile made the silver in her eyes seem to dance, she reached forward and placed her hand on my cheek.

'Nelle' she whispered, slightly shyly, but that made me treasure it even more. 'That's my name' she murmured. I couldn't stand it any longer, I lost all sense of self-restraint as I grabbed her waist and kissed her, never wanting to let go as she melted into me. The fiery threads of our souls seemed to weave together at the contact; it was as if in that second we were the only two people in the world. It took me a while to realise that it had been a while since either of us had taken a breath, I released my hold, keeping one hand on her waist as I reached up to brush the hair out of her eyes.

'Oh no not another one' Jacob groaned and I suddenly became aware that we were standing in the middle of the yard with the entire household watching us, Jacob came up to me and patted me on the back. 'Welcome to the club man, you just imprinted!'

**BELLA'S POV**

There must be something in the air here, first Eric and Katlyn, then Tanya, and now it looked like Seth had finally imprinted like his sister, I looked over at Edward who smiled at me, rolling his eyes over to Seth and Nelle who had started making out again.

'Seth please stop! I don't want to lose my lunch' Leah groaned, hiding slightly behind Eric who laughed at her. Seth grinned sheepishly at her and shrugged.

'No worse than what you put me through' he chuckled, taking a hold of Nelle's hand.

'Sorry Nahuel, I came to see you but I guess I got…_side tracked'_ she smiled softly and Nahuel just raised his eyebrow.

'So your one of Joham's…daughters?' I asked, choosing to put aside the matter of Seth's imprint. We were all getting a bit too used to seeing people fall in love at first sight on a daily basis. Besides, I was eager to learn a little bit more about Nelle now that it looked like she'd be sticking around for a while. I leant against the railing that lined the back porch and gave her an encouraging smile. We were all aware of how the vampire that fathered Nahuel liked to create hybrids for his own experimentations. It sickened us all to think of this man out there, sacrificing innocent women for the sake of his own morbid curiosity. I only hoped that Nelle wasn't the type of person that was okay with the sacrifice.

'More like _creation_' she said angrily and then leaned into Seth, his presence already calming her. 'Joham never considered us his children; he treated us purely as his own little creations. To him we were only alive because he had _deigned_ to give us life. I never liked him but I was trapped, until he went in search of Nahuel that is' she said, smiling over at her brother. 'I never liked Joham but I still stayed with him because I had nowhere else to go, but when we found Nahuel we saw that we didn't need to stay with Joham to survive. He had spent years telling us that we had to stay with him because otherwise we'd die, but when I saw Nahuel, I knew that he had been lying. I was content enough to leave him, but my other sisters wanted revenge. They killed him' she sighed, not sadly, just with a begrudging acceptance.

'Don't get me wrong, I don't exactly condone what they did, but I am happy that he is gone from this world. I never liked the idea of our mothers dying to give us life' she said, glancing over to me and giving me a sad smile, 'but he just laughed at me and mocked me when I refused to drink human blood. He was an evil man.'

'Where are your sisters now?' Carlisle asked her, leaning forward.

'I offered for them to come with me in search of our brother, but they wanted to explore the world. I may see them again one day but I do not know, I never really felt that connected to them so I was content to come alone' she replied and Nahuel smiled softly.

'How did you know how to find me though?' He asked her.

'I didn't at first so I went back to where we met, I spent about a week there before I ran into a group of Nomads, Zafrina I believe her name was, and her sisters' she responded. So she had run into the Amazons, makes sense, seeing as they apparently came from close to where Nahuel and his aunt wandered.

'The leader recognised me for what I was' she explained, 'at first I was cautious, worried that they would attack, but she soon explained to me that she had met Nahuel. That was how I learnt of your victory against the Volturi and how Nahuel had come to live with the Cullens' she added gesturing to us, 'I was curious about the wolves as well' she said smiling at Seth. 'Zafrina told me where I needed to go, and so…here I am' she concluded.

'I'm grateful that you have made it here safely Nelle, I hope that you would feel welcome to stay with us for a while' Carlisle smiled at her and she looked over at him thoughtfully.

'Well I was originally planning on just stopping by, to tell Nahuel about Joham's death and to meet little Nessie you know' she said, grinning over at Nessie who beamed up at her, 'but I think I may like to stay, if that's okay with you' she said, leaning into Seth as he grinned down at her. Esme hurried over and gave her a hug, obviously happy to have another mouth to feed. An idea seemed to occur to her as she looked around the garden, counting in her head the numbers and smiling over at Carlisle.

'I think we should set up the barbeque, we have people who need to eat and it's almost time for dinner, plus the house is a bit too full at the moment so it would probably be easier if we all stay out here for a bit' Esme said to Carlisle who nodded and went over to the shed with Jasper to retrieve some benches for us all to sit on.

'Hey, why don't we make an evening out of it? I think we're all in the mood for some celebration in light of Rose and Emmett's new arrivals and the end to Seth's bachelorhood, we could get your dad down here Bells' Jake grinned at me, 'and my dad, Sue, Quil and anyone else from LaPush if they like.'

'Oooh a garden party, I wondered why my evening was looking a little hazy but this explains it' trilled Alice, 'I'll go get the fairy lights' and with that she danced off in the direction of the shed where Jasper, having heard her, was starting to string up a long line of coloured lights. Alice, like the party planner she was, just began to happily call out commands to Jasper and Carlisle as to where to place the tables and lights, they went about following her demands, looks of martyrdom on their faces.

'That seems settled then' I chuckled and went off to call Charlie, I was excited, it had been a while since I had seen my dad and I knew he'd love to see Renesmee again, I was also curious as to if his relationship with Sue had grown at all, the last time I saw him they had been pretty close.

Within the next half hour, a lot of people began to turn up. Sam and Emily came along with Paul, Jared, Brady and Collin. Jacob got his dad, Quil and Embry to come down from LaPush. It seemed that they were all curious to see Seth imprinted as well as to meet little Elsie and Zack, Esme barely managed to get enough food out on the tables before they started stuffing their faces, Oliver was on the barbeque and had to use his vampire speed to be able to get enough sausages and burgers cooked for them. I laughed as Emmett took the opportunity to challenge Sam to a wrestling match, walking over to join Emily as she watched them, a bemused look causing the scar on her face to shine in the lights around the garden.

'You know that Eric can heal you right' I murmured, not wanting to sound rude. She didn't much mind talking about her scar but I knew that Sam was a little touchy on the subject, seeing as he was the one that gave it to her. She turned and smiled at me, her dark eyes warm in the cold early evening.

'I know…he offered but I turned him down' she answered and I had to try and avoid looking too shocked, apparently I must have shown some of my surprise because she let out a soft chuckle at my confused expression. She sighed and absent-mindedly stroked the end of the scar where it met up with her mouth. 'As soon as Sam found out that Eric would have the ability to heal it, he practically dragged me over to Sue's. But, I don't want it gone. It's hard to explain, he still thinks I'm insane for not taking Eric up on his offer but…I just, how can I put it?' She mumbled, searching for the words. 'This scar is a mark of what me and Sam have been through…I don't think we would be as close as we were today, imprint or no imprint, if we hadn't been through all of the hard times' she said, looking me into the eye and willing me to understand, I nodded pensively, beginning to understand her line of thought, she smiled gently and continued, gazing over at Sam as him and Emmett rolled around on the ground, cheered on by Colin and Brady. 'What is it they say…_the course of true love never runs smoothly _or something along those lines? If I just patched over all of the bad things and pretended that they never happened, it wouldn't feel right. I love Sam more than anything; I don't want to forget any part of our life together…even the worst parts' she sighed.

I somewhat understood how she felt, I felt the same way with Edward. Those months when he left me, thinking that he didn't love me anymore, and he believing that I had died, were a living hell for us. Every day I had felt like I was dying from the inside out. But we were stronger now. We never spent a second apart if we didn't have to. We loved each other and the pain of the past just made our love stronger. It was as if every battle, every death or injury or broken heart was a sign post in our relationship. I doubted I could be as happy I was now if we hadn't have experienced that pain, making us value each other that much more. Emily must feel the same way about Sam, not seeing her scar as an eyesore, but instead a reminder of everything they went through to be together. I smiled over at her, joining in her laughter when Sam and Emmett landed in a pile of mud.

'Honey, don't even think you're stepping a single foot in the house until you've cleaned yourself up. And stop acting like a child, you're setting a bad example for the kids' Rosalie yelled, coming over with Elsie in her arms who was cheering her father on. Emmett grinned sheepishly at his wife and tried to wipe some of the mud off his hands as Sam jogged over to Emily, causing her to moan when his hug caked her in dirt, but laughing anyway.

'Bells!' I heard my dad's voice calling out from the other side of the garden; I span around and spotted Charlie, grinning as he began to make his way over to me, only to be stopped in his tracks when Nessie barrelled into him. I laughed and jogged over at a human pace, coming to a halt in front of him as Nessie climbed up into his arms. I was glad I didn't have to wear contacts around him anymore; my eyes weren't red anymore, instead they were a deep bronze which was close enough to brown in the dark that I doubted he would really notice the difference. Besides, he knew there was something up with me, but still hadn't asked any questions.

'Hey dad, sorry about Nessie. She seems to forget that she's getting a bit big to treat people like her own personal climbing rope' I chuckled as Nessie pouted slightly at me, unable to stop herself from smiling for long though as a wide grin spread across her face.

'Oh don't worry about Nessie, she knows I love her' he smiled, placing a kiss on Nessie's cheek.

'Where's Sue?' I asked, searching around for her. There were too many scents and sounds to really get a lock on any one person's location.

'Oh she's over talking to Seth and Leah. I'm a bit surprised that Seth has got himself a girlfriend, not that he's not a nice young man but they seem quite close for two people who've just met' he mumbled, raising his eyebrow.

'Oh it was a love at first sight thing dad, don't worry. She's seems great' I smiled and he huffed. I rolled my eyes at his pessimism; I knew that there was pretty much nothing that could stop two imprinted people from automatically declaring their love for each other. Even when one of the two was a child, like with Nessie and Claire, there was still an unbreakable bond between them. But my dad still held on to the belief that it took more than a single look to fall in love. If only he knew about imprinting.

'And I thought you weren't the romantic type' he chuckled, pulling me into a hug and trying not to react to the cold temperature of my skin, 'you alright, you feel a bit chilly'.

'I'm fine dad' I whined, 'you need to stop worrying about me all the time, I'm all grown up remember.'

He just laughed and huffed, 'not to me Bells, you'll always be my little girl who couldn't seem to walk down the stairs without falling'. I groaned; that was one part of my human life I was glad to be rid of. He was right; in the past I was a complete disaster, even the simple walk from my bedroom to the bathroom would usually result in catastrophe. 'Ah Billy's here, come on Nessie, let's go bully Grampa Billy' he smiled and went off to go and say hi to his best friend. Since Jake had…_revealed_ himself as a shifter, Charlie and Billy's friendship had been strained to say the least. I was just glad that they were beginning to get back to the way they were before. I watched as Nessie dropped down from my dad's arms and landed in Billy's lap, his wrinkled face lighting up when she began giving him an energetic retelling of her last hunting trip as Charlie hovered awkwardly, pretending not to hear her story. She had only recently begun talking in front of him and it was hard enough for him to ignore the advanced development every time he saw her, let alone when she liked to talk about her free time spent hunting large animals.

'That was your dad? Does he know what you are?' Oliver asked as he came over, if a vampire was capable of looking truly exhausted then that was him. Clearly the task of feeding most of the pack was more difficult than I'd thought. Tanya spotted him and gave him a little wave from where her and Rose were sitting, causing him to smile broadly and go into a brief daze before glancing back at my dad anxiously.

'He suspects' I answered, 'but he's made it pretty clear he doesn't want to know the details, he knows about the pack though, so he definitely has an idea that we aren't quite human' I explained as he nodded thoughtfully. I looked over at Charlie as him and Billy discussed plans for their next fishing trip, anxiety colouring my thoughts as I thought of the day that curiosity would inevitably win out for him. Part of me worried that he'd reject me and my family for what we were, whilst the other part of me so wanted for him to be a part of our lives that I wished he did know the truth. It would make life a lot easier in some ways, more complicated in others.

'Bella, are you alright? I felt a shift in mood coming from you' Jasper whispered, coming up behind me. I turned around and stifled a chuckle at his appearance, he'd taken over on barbeque duty and was now wearing a comically large chef's hat and a frilly pink apron that I presumed belonged to Esme.

'I'm fine Jaz, just lost on thought. What the hell are you wearing?' I asked and he grinned sheepishly down at his outfit.

'Don't you like it?' he chuckled, wriggling his eyebrows at me. 'The hat was Emmett's idea' he smiled and I raised my eyebrow at him.

'And the apron…' I trailed off, gesturing at the pink frills as he rolled his eyes dramatically.

'Alice gave it to me, I needed something to protect me from the burger splatter and she _said_ that it was the only thing she could find' he answered, a suspicious smile curving one side of his mouth showing that he clearly didn't believe that Alice was telling the truth.

'Oi Jaz, the sausages are burning!' Paul yelled causing Jaz to almost jump, he span around and gave a salute to him, straightening himself up theatrically.

'Yes sir right away sir' he barked, shooting me a grin before running off to see to the food. I was happy that this playful side of him was showing more and more. When I had first met him he was always so pained and serious, having to use all of his concentration on _not_ killing every human he met. That combined with his less than peaceful past made him quite sombre to be around; I also doubted that having to experience every negative emotion around him helped. But now that he'd gotten his thirst under better control, he'd been free to open up around people other than the Cullens. Edward had told me that after my birthday party, when he had tried to attack me, his outlook had changed. He had apparently felt so guilty over causing the Cullens to move away that he had blamed himself for all the chaos with the Volturi. They had tried telling him it wasn't his fault, but he still felt as if it was. His guilt had supposedly acted as sort of rock bottom for him, giving him new determination to get his thirst under control. That, combined with the general aura of happy emotions that surrounded our family now that the Volturi presence was gone and the new comradely with the wolves, had made him more relaxed and easy going. I assumed that Alice's pregnancy had something to do with it as well; it was hard to be a good father when you were caught up in negative emotions, so he had seen the upcoming arrival of his daughter as a chance to be a good example. _If that means controlling my thirst then I will do it_ he'd told me when I'd remarked on his change in attitude, he clearly felt that if he expected his future daughter to control her urges then he should be able to do so as well.

After a few hours, people began to get tired, Nessie had to be put to bed by Edward as she was almost dead on her feet, and young Collin and Brady were half asleep on the grass despite all their werewolf energy. One by one they all drifted back to LaPush and Leah decided to head back with her Mum and Brother in order to get to know her possible future sister in law better.

'I hope you don't mind that I plan to spend the night at Seth's, Nahuel, I know we have a lot to talk about but I really want to get to know Leah and Sue better' Nelle said as she hugged her half-brother.

'It's fine. I think I'm a little too drained to stop myself from falling asleep anyway, I'll see you tomorrow' he smiled and hugged her back.

Soon enough it was only the Cullens and I who were left behind, Charlie had decided to stay a little longer to _spend some more time with me_ he had said, and Oliver and Tanya had wandered off somewhere. Only a couple of people were now scattered around the practically empty garden. Katlyn and Thomas were helping clean up the remnants of food, playfully nudging each other every few seconds. I had a feeling that if we didn't leave the garden soon, a full scale food fight would burst out, Emmett was already eyeing the remnants of the potato salad, shooting Jacob conspiratorial looks as Anthony and Paige sat blissfully unaware on the bench. I rolled my eyes at him, giving him a warning glare as he shrugged and continued to clean up, sniggering as he flicked bits of left over bread in Jake's direction. I followed the rest of my family into the house, hearing the inevitable splat, groan and laugh as I assumed Jake got his own back at Emmett.

Me, Edward, Carlisle and Esme settled onto the sofas with Charlie whilst Rose sent the twins off to have a bath, they appeared to have taken after Emmett and were now covered in mud like their father had been earlier.

'How did you manage to clean up so quickly?' Charlie looked over at Jasper suspiciously, who had just cleaned the kitchen, being careful to prevent Charlie from seeing him use his vampire speed. 'It was a tip a few minutes ago…' we all took in an unnecessary breath, wondering if he was going to let it slide like he usually did when we did something non-human. Edward let out a barely audible groan and I guessed that meant he wasn't going to this time. Charlie seemed to think about something, warring with himself as his expression flickered in between determined and wary. I held in my breath, wondering if this would be the inevitable moment when he couldn't ignore what his sub-conscious was telling him any longer.

'…Those red eyes, and sometimes I swear that I can see some of you move so fast I can't explain it, you're always so cold and none of you look like you've aged at all' he murmured, glaring at us suspiciously, 'first Jacob being a werewolf and now…just be honest' he bit his lip and exhaled, causing his moustache to bristle with the movement. 'I can't take it anymore, you have to tell me.' He looked at me and I saw determination win the battle of emotions, the light of his resolve burning in his eyes.

'Just what on earth _are_ you?'


	16. Charlie

**Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any of the Twilight original characters or settings; they belong to the talented SM. All other new characters and powers are from my mind vault though, but if you wanna use one, feel free to ask : ) **

**A/N: This chapter is in Charlie's POV, it's like him but at the same time slightly OOC. It's shorter than the others because I've been a bit ill of late. Tell me what you think.**

Charlie POV:

I looked into my daughter's eyes; the beautiful chocolate brown I had known to be hers for the last eighteen years had been replaced by a shimmering bronze that seemed to burn a brighter shade every time I saw her; I could see that before long they would end up a warm golden colour…the same eerie golden colour that had grown to become associated with the Cullen family over the years. I had noticed other things that this strange family also shared; the ghostly pale skin and the unnatural grace. They all had the same strange aura that would entice others towards them, yet at the same time cause them to be feared. All of these inhuman traits now seemed to be apparent in my daughter. I wanted to know where my clumsy little Bells had gone.

Her changes in appearance weren't the only things that had caused me to suspect that something about the Cullen's wasn't natural. My beautiful granddaughter was allegedly adopted by Edward and Bella, but I couldn't help but ask myself how it was possible that the same chocolate brown that was now absent from my daughter's eyes was now the most recognisable feature in her beautiful face; there was no other way to explain the striking resemblance she had to my daughter and Edward, she had to be their child. If she truly was of no relation to my Bells, than how was it that every time I held her in my arms, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was more than just my granddaughter in name. It was something in the way her smile, it seemed to be a perfect echo of my own daughter's when she was young.

There was also the unbelievable way in which she had appeared to have gone from an infant to a small child in a matter of months; it seemed that every day, she had grown at an implausible rate. The way that, she had only begun talking in front of me recently, yet every word out of her mouth was spoken with perfect clarity and outstanding intelligence. I would also see flickers in the corner of my eye, when she thought I was too involved in watching the game to notice, of such speed that my mind couldn't connect it with her tiny frame.

I couldn't explain any of these anomalies. For a long time I fought with myself as to whether I wanted to know, my role as the chief of police had instilled a natural curiosity within me that had screamed out for the truth, whilst the part of me that was a father wished to remain blissfully ignorant of whatever strange world my daughter had landed herself in. For what seemed like an eternity these contrasting sides had battled each other, usually resulting in me deciding to demand the truth, only to choose to remain in blissful oblivion a second later.

I was still troubled but had decided to keep myself in the dark for at least a little longer, knowing the reality of what the people of LaPush really were was enough truth for me to handle and I had decided to refuse to acknowledge the frightening mystery of the Cullen's. That had changed when Christmas had come around though, the expression on my daughters face as she dropped Nessie off at my house, only to disappear for the entire day had me troubled beyond belief. I couldn't even begin to comprehend how much fear I had seen in her eyes that day, it was as if she had seen her own death, yet the one man she should be able to come to, her father, was unable to protect her.

I had come over to the house tonight for the barbeque in order to see for certain if that look had left her eyes, and upon finding it replaced by a blissful happiness I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. That weight however, was soon replaced by the knowledge that for as long as I was oblivious to the truth, I would never be able to fully be a part of my daughter's life, and as the evening drew on and people began to leave I had resolved to finally ask the question that had been lingering within my mind. Considering the astounding truth of what Jacob and apparently many other boys at LaPush were, I could only come to one conclusion; my daughter wasn't human…none of these people were. I needed to know for sure, what their secret was.

'So…are you going to tell me or what Bells?' I said, when no one had moved after almost an entire minute, the silence rang out through the entire house, even the cheerful conversation from those still in the garden had come to an abrupt halt. The fact that they had been able to hear my question, so far out into the garden, was alone enough to prove that they couldn't be human. Bella seemed to shake herself out of her stupor and glanced worriedly over at Edward, his eyes locked on hers and I could have sworn that I saw him nod his head. It was barely perceptible and I thought for a second I had imagined it, but then my daughter took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

'Dad…' she spoke quietly, obviously struggling to find the right words, 'before I tell you the truth I need you to know' she swallowed, 'I love you more than anything dad, and no matter what you might learn in the next few minutes I need you to remember that…I'm still your Bells, I'm just …_different'_ she spoke softly, her eyes locked on mine. _This was it_ I told myself, I was finally going to know the truth. But did I really want to know? No, I didn't _want_ to know, but it was something that I had to hear anyway. I braced myself for whatever I was about to hear, hoping I could handle it. For Bella I would handle it, no matter how shocking it may be.

I looked at her expectantly, urging her to continue as she took in a rattling breath, squeezing Edward's hand for support. 'If I told you that our skin is unnaturally cold as well as being deathly pale and pretty much unbreakable. Our bodies so strong that we could easily life a truck without ever breaking a sweat and so fast that we could move without a human ever seeing it, as well as each one of us immortal. What would be the first word in your mind?' she asked hesitantly and I immediately knew my answer, a vampire. I'd thought it before but pushed it aside in disbelief every time, but now, I couldn't deny it. Everything I knew was telling me to laugh and accuse her of going insane but that laughter never came, because I knew. Deep down I had always known that none of them were human, they were vampires I was sure, or something similar to that. I wouldn't know until I answered her question, so I steeled myself and focused on keeping my voice as neutral as it could be, it still ended up coming out as a rasp.

'Vampire…' I whispered, waiting for her reaction, she flinched a little, as if she were expecting disgust in my tone, but relaxed once she saw that I was trying not to judge; I just wanted to know the truth. Her mouth twitched ever so slightly, in a sad half smile that seemed to be both happy and afraid at the same time. 'So, vampire's right, that's what you all are?' I asked because none of them had really clarified as to whether my guess was correct or not.

'Yes Charlie, we are vampires. Well at least in the technical sense.' Carlisle answered me. What did he mean by not in the_ technical sense_ I wondered to myself and was about to ask when Edward spoke first.

'By that he means we chose not to drink human blood' he said and I wondered if I'd been speaking out loud, unless he was a mind reader as well, but I highly doubted that he could be two impossible things. I saw him smile briefly and started to rethink my assumption when Carlisle spoke.

'We feed solely off the blood of animals to survive, which is also why our eyes have turned golden as opposed to the red you would see in a vampire that feeds from humans' he explained, 'we moved back to Forks a few years ago and were quite content to live a simple life, until your daughter came along' he looked over at Bella and she smiled shyly, 'she learned pretty quickly the truth of what we were, yet it didn't scare her' he continued, laughing. My daughter? She'd known for years and I'd been ignorant for so long, I chastised myself for being so stupid to miss something that seemed so obvious now. A chuckle broke into my internal monologue and I looked up to see Edward trying not to laugh.

'I'm sorry Charlie, you're not stupid, Bella just happened to be very observant as well as not knowing when to give up. Combine those two and it was inevitable that she'd find out, it didn't help much that I fell madly in love with her as well' he replied to my thought, grinning at Bella who smiled up at him. He must be able to read minds I thought, that was the only way he could have known what I was thinking twice in a row now, I mentally sent him a message telling him to just admit it already and quit poking around my head.

'Yeah you're right Charlie, I _can_ read minds. Some of our kind possess gifts beyond the normal abilities of a vampire, your daughter for example, has a truly magnificent shield that can not only protect the mind but can also be used as a weapon of sorts; it's so strong that even when she was human I was unable to read her mind' he responded proudly, squeezing Bella. A shield, _my_ Bells could use some mystical power? It was too unbelievable, but for some reason I didn't doubt the truth in his words. Wait, I thought, if he and my daughter had gifts, did this mean that everyone in their family had them too, I directed my question at Edward and he rolled his eyes.

'You are allowed to ask them Charlie, you don't have to keep using me as a translator, but yes, some of my family _do_ possess gifts' he answered.

'Like what?' I asked hesitantly, did I really want to know? What if one of them had something even more frightening than even the idea of vampires? But I'd already promised myself that I wouldn't leave until I knew everything I needed to know, and this, I felt, was need to know.

'Well I can see visions of the future' Alice said in her sing song voice that I now realised must also be part of being a vampire, 'My Jazz can feel and control emotions and little Nessie can show you her thoughts through touch; some of the others outside also have talents but I think we need to take baby steps, you've got a lot of new information to process and I wouldn't want to give you a heart attack' she said smiling, I was pleased that I wasn't actually afraid after hearing this news. Sure, it was a shock and truly unbelievable that my daughter and the Cullens were capable of so many things, but to me they were still the same people that I'd known for years. I still loved my daughter; on the whole I felt I was taking this rather well.

'Too true Charlie, you are dealing with this remarkably well. In fact, I'm pleasantly surprised, you had a worse reaction when we told you we were engaged' Edward said and I chuckled at the memory of when they'd announced their plans to get married and how I'd assumed they'd gotten pregnant. Although, now that I thought about it, it could easily have been possible, for all I knew Bella was already pregnant with Nessie when they got engaged. 'No, Nessie came after the honeymoon Charlie, so you needn't worry that I led your daughter astray' Edward answered my thoughts which resulted in Bella heaving an exasperated sigh.

'Dad! I _told_ you I wasn't pregnant, you are so typical' she moaned, rolling her eyes.

'Sorry Bells' I answered, 'I'm a father, it's how my mind works, I just want to protect you' I said smiling at her and she gave me a begrudging smile in return. 'But I wished you'd have told me all of this sooner, you have no idea how many insane theories I came up with in my head before tonight, I've been literally been driving myself and Sue insane Bells', it was true, Sue had to put up with my constant changes of heart whenever I decided to ask for the truth from them, eventually she just gave up trying to talk things through with me because she knew that'd I'd just end up changing my mind yet again.

'We couldn't tell you dad' Bella said looking down and then back up at me, 'if we'd have told you then you'd have been sentenced to death or vampirism by the Volturi, I couldn't let that happen to you so I just let you make assumptions, it was the only way I could keep you in our lives without endangering yours' she explained and I felt I understood, the part about wanting to protect me anyway, it's exactly how I felt towards her, but I had no idea who or what the Volturi were supposed to be though.

'Who are the Volturi? I asked, 'and if they're so dangerous, how come you're telling me now, aren't I in danger? And what about Sue, will she be safe?' I started to panic, I was not afraid of the Cullens and my daughter, but if these Volturi people were frightening enough to cause the Cullens to fear them then I sure didn't like the idea of them seeing Sue as a threat. I hadn't told her yet but I wanted to marry her more than anything, I wasn't sure because of how badly my marriage to Renee had turned out, but in the last few months I'd begun to realise that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I wouldn't be able to survive if these Volturi people hurt her because of me.

'Stop worrying Charlie, Sue already knows about us, she's allowed to because of her connection to the pack. They know, so therefore, she does as well. Also, the Volturi won't be a problem anymore' Edward assured me.

'Why aren't they a problem anymore?' I asked, 'is it something to do with all the crazy behaviour a while ago?'

'Yes dad, we were all in the process of preparing for a visit from the Volturi, they intended to kill Renesmee because they believed her to be an immortal child; that's a human child who has been made into a vampire' Bella explained, 'We gathered our friends and prepared to fight them, and we won dad, we beat them! So it's safe now, I assure you; we can tell you now because for one we know no one is going to hunt you down for it, and also we know you'd never dream of telling anyone'.

'Of course not!' I assured her, 'I would never put you in danger like that, besides, I don't really fancy the idea of everyone thinking I've gone insane and deciding to lock me up in an asylum' I said laughing, 'I'm happy I know though, I feel like I have a real chance to be properly a part of your life now Bells, and I wouldn't give that up for anything'

'Me too dad' she answered, squeezing my hand, her cool temperature was no longer a shock to me, now I knew the reason behind it, 'I'm happy you can be a part of my life and this family. You have no idea how hard it has been, having to lie to you for so long' I smiled at her and gave her a hug, happy to have my daughter back again, instead of feeling like she was slowly drifting away.

'So you all done now? We can be our normal vampy selves around him finally? Because I'm telling you, doing things human slow is a major pain in the ass, even if you are my _master's_ father' someone said, suddenly appearing in the living room, one of the newer….vampires I guess, Eric, Leah's new boyfriend. What did he mean master? Was he talking about my Bells? I looked over to her for some answer and saw her giving him an annoyed look whilst Emmet chuckled under his breath.

'What did he mean _master _Bells, is that some weird vampire thing?' I asked and she huffed.

'It's a long story dad' was all she said.

'Yeah, you know…the usual tale. Boy meets girl, boy gets attacked by evil girl, girl saves his ass, boy declares his undying loyalty to girl' Emmett grinned, 'Eric here just calls her master to piss her off, don't you Eric' he laughed and Eric smirked in response.

'Oh you know me, anything to get a rise out of my _master'_ he said and I chuckled as everyone else started laughing except for Bella.

'Not you too dad! Ah, will this never end…' she groaned which just made us all laugh even harder.

I looked over at Eric as he settled on the arm of the sofa, grinning over at Bella. I recalled seeing him around Billy's house the other day, which was odd. He was expected around Sue's, what with him and Leah being so close, but I didn't even think he knew Billy. Did he have something to do with Billy's miracle treatment? He was on crutches now, despite the fact that doctors had told him he'd never walk again; I hadn't thought much about it at the time but now that I really considered it, the only explanation for his small miracle had to be supernatural. Edward raised his eyebrow at me and smiled to himself, causing Bella to nudge him questioningly.

'You're right in thinking that Charlie, Eric did have a hand in Billy's recovery' he said, causing Eric to smile proudly at himself while Emmett just rolled his eyes, shoving him off the sofa.

'Smug much?' he asked, chuckling when Eric landed on the floor laughing.

'I have a right to be, I'm just so…amazing' he sighed dramatically, causing everyone to groan and roll their eyes, I guessed he was one of the jokers of the group. He straightened up and settled back on the sofa, pointedly placing himself out of Emmett's reach.

'Basically I can manipulate people's bodies, it allows me to heal things that normal medicine wouldn't be able to. Repair broken bones, give you a sex change…that sort of stuff' he smiled, causing Emmett to pale if that was even possible. I looked at his reaction curiously, his sudden wariness seeming so uncharacteristic. Alice chuckled and leaned towards me.

'Eric decided to pull a prank on Emmett, he was stuck as a very large and manly looking woman for about an hour, it was hilarious' she giggled, causing everyone to laugh at the memory as Emmett mumbled to himself, I wish I could have seen that.

'Oh don't worry, you'll see it soon, I even prepared a dress' Alice whispered low, I had a feeling that only I could hear her because nobody else seemed to react to her promise. Even though I was an adult and supposed to be the voice of maturity, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of amusement fill me; now that I'd gotten somewhat used to the idea of vampires, the image of one as big and physically imposing as Emmett being turned into a woman was definitely the type of bizarre thing I'd love to see. I joined in the laughter as Eric the Cullens teased Emmett, causing him to grumble to Carlisle for help, he was too busy laughing to intervene though and I chuckled at the usually serene Dr. Cullen teasing his son like he was a teenager.

So here I was, sharing a joke with a room full of vampires, not what I expected when I'd woken up this morning, but I was glad I knew the truth now. Now I finally had my answers about the Cullen's and my daughter I could get to know that side of her too, the side that was still a little frightening to me; the side that was a vampire.


	17. Police Cruisers and Bubble Baths

Chapter 17: Alice's POV

It was a relief to know that Charlie could finally be able to be a part of our lives. She would never admit it, but Bella hated the idea that they had to keep her father in the dark about vampires, despite the danger that can come with complete awareness. I was just finally glad to stop having the same visions of Charlie; because of his constantly changing decision over the last couple of months as to whether or not he would ask for the truth, I would be bombarded with a vision of him confronting us one minute, only to have it change the next. I was glad his indecision was finally over, maybe now I could focus a little more on when he was going to propose to Sue. I knew he was going to but he wasn't definite on when and how he was going to do it, I knew that when he did though, Sue would say yes and I would be able to plan another wedding. She wouldn't want me to plan it first but I knew I'd be able to get her agree.

With all the revelations over, Charlie had decided to go home and get some sleep, he looked absolutely exhausted and it appeared that finally knowing the truth about us had taken quite a toll on him. 'I'll drive you home Charlie' I offered, 'you're obviously too tired to drive safely, besides, I've always wanted to drive a police car' I said grinning at him.

'I can't let you do that Alice, no one else is supposed to drive my cruiser, even if they are a vampire' he yawned and sighed, I had a distinct image in my mind of me driving his police cruiser so I already knew he'd give in, Edward chuckled at seeing my vision and the satisfied expression on my face and rolled his eyes.

'I'm afraid she will be driving you Charlie, she's already seen it and you'd best learn early on that it's impossible to argue with her' he said, chuckling when I pretended to gasp at his insult, I knew he wasn't being rude, in a way he was right, once I had a vision they very rarely didn't come true.

'Come on Charlie, it'll be fun' I said standing up, 'I may be pregnant but I'm still a vampire, it's about time that you saw how a police car is really supposed to be driven' I grinned, he groaned but passed me his keys anyway, getting slowly to his feet.

'Okay Alice you win' he said and went over to hug Bella goodbye. 'I'll see you tomorrow Bells' he said, kissing her cheek and hugging her.

'Bye dad, go straight to bed when you get home okay?' she asked and he rolled his eyes.

'I'm the parent Bells, you don't need to mother me' he laughed.

'Sorry, some habits are hard to break' she said shrugging and gave him another hug before going back to sit on Edward's lap.

'Right, I'm trusting you Alice, I don't want you going past sixty and no crazy driving okay, especially seeing as you're pregnant. Is it really okay for you to be driving in your condition? You look pretty far along' he looked at Carlisle with a worried expression on his face and I laughed.

'Alice has seen that she's going to be giving birth tomorrow Charlie, she'll be fine' Carlisle answered with a smile and Charlie seemed to relax a bit but still appeared a little apprehensive, I just grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards the door.

'Come on Charlie, we don't have time for you to be all worried for me' I said and towed him outside towards his car.

Once we were in and he'd insisted relentlessly that I put my seatbelt on, which I did, no matter how many times I explained that we wouldn't crash he still wouldn't give up. I put the keys into the engine and felt a thrill as it started, I loved cars; it was a part of being a Cullen that we adored all things sleek and fast. Even though Charlie's cruiser was hardly my beautiful Porsche, it still gave me a kick to be able to drive a real police car.

I pulled the car around and manoeuvred it down the long winding driveway that led to the main road, I decided to try and at least appease Charlie a little bit and drive significantly slower than I normally would, apparently though, this was still far too fast for Charlie to deal with as his face paled with each turn I took with expert ease. It really must be some sight, a heavily pregnant vampire driving a police cruiser at breakneck speeds and I chuckled at what someone would think if they could see.

'Please Alice; I'm begging you, slow down!' Charlie gasped, gulping as I took another steep turn on the road, I rolled my eyes and lowered the speed again, driving at human pace was so boring but I didn't want to give him a heart attack so I did it anyway.

'Better?' I asked him, smiling to myself when he visibly relaxed.

'Yeah' he sighed and then turned to look out of the window, he obviously had a lot on his mind, what with learning about vampires as well as the fact that his daughter was one of them all in one night. He looked over at me pensively.

'How do your visions work exactly?' he asked and I tapped my finger on the steering wheel as I thought of the best way to describe my gift.

'When someone makes a decision, I can see the result of that choice, for example if someone decided to propose then I'd be able to see them propose, perhaps even the wedding as well' I said, trying to describe it as simply as possible and smiling to myself because I'd used him as an example. He caught on that I was talking about a vision I'd had involving him and he swallowed audibly.

'So…you know then?' he asked, 'what does she say, does she say yes….don't tell me says no?' he questioned me, panicking at the idea that Sue would refuse his proposal.

'Don't worry Charlie, she says yes' I laughed and he let out a breath.

'Don't tell Bella okay, I want to be able to tell her myself when I finally get around to asking' he said and returned to looking out of the window as we entered the main town of Forks. 'So is that it, the second I decided to propose you got a vision, or do you have to be watching that particular person to see visions?'

'Well most of the time yes, I keep an eye on people that are important to us' I answered, chuckling when I caught a blush from him, 'sometimes though I get completely random visions that don't make any sense' I shrugged and saw his eyebrows knit together from the corner of my eye.

'Why do you have them then? If they don't mean anything that is' he mumbled, it was pretty obvious that he was almost half asleep.

'Oh they happen for a reason, they just don't make sense at the time' I explained, trying to find a way to describe it. 'For example I saw Jasper before we met, scared the crap out of him as well' I laughed, thinking back to my first meeting with Jasper, 'I saw that he was my mate and that he needed me so I went to a café, knowing he'd walk in one day. He had no idea why on earth a random vampire was so happy to see him but he quickly came around. What can I say, I'm just so loveable that it's hard to resist' I grinned and he rolled his eyes.

'I'd use the word…_persistent'_ he chuckled and I huffed, feigning hurt.

'I saw the Cullens too, just after Jasper. It helped me cope with being a vampire knowing I had something to look forward to' I sighed, remembering the horrible confusion of waking up as a newborn but then the hope I had felt through my visions of my family and Jaz.

'I suppose you're quite lucky then, having a way of knowing things were going to turn out well' he murmured, more to himself then to me. 'Do you miss your human life?' he asked, turning in his seat to face me as we entered the town.

'I never really remembered it, some of us have problems remembering our human lives but it was worse for me, amnesia or something. I had no idea who I had been as a human until a few years ago when Bella told me what James had said' I replied, thinking back to the research that I had done after James had told Bella about me. 'I found out that I had been in a mental asylum because I was apparently convinced I could see the future, ironic isn't it' I chuckled.

'Who's James?' he asked, oh crap. I'd forgotten that he had no idea about that little adventure; I briefly considered whether or not I should tell him and sighed.

'He was a vampire that tried to track down and kill Bella' I answered, being careful to watch his reaction.

'What? Someone tried to kill my Bells? Why didn't anyone tell me?' he practically yelled and I had to place a calming hand on his shoulder.

'Relax Charlie, Edward and the others saved her, killed him. That's what really happened in Phoenix' I whispered and he relaxed a little, though he was still tense.

'Man, I'm kind of glad I didn't know now, I would have freaked out back then' he sighed and I let out a small laugh.

'It's okay Charlie, Bella's a vampire now. She's very strong and we would never let anything happen to her' I assured him, turning back to face the steering wheel when I noticed his panicked glancing from me to the road. I rolled my eyes at his paranoia; he'd learn soon enough to feel safe when a vampire was behind the wheel.

'So my in-laws are vampires' he murmured as I pulled into his driveway, 'I suppose it could be worse, at least you don't feed off humans' he reasoned with himself and I smiled, 'I just want you to know that I'm going to try and treat you all the same as I always have Alice, I still see you all as family, regardless of your…_quirks' _he told me, I already knew what he was going to say, not that I'd had a vision, I could just tell that he was worried that we would think he wouldn't see us the same way.

'I know Charlie' I said, turning off the engine and unbuckling my seatbelt, 'it'll take you a little time to adjust but I have a feeling this is going to be better for everyone, I know you don't think we're monsters and I appreciate that' I said and leant over to give him a hug, but due to being in a car and my huge stomach it turned out to be more difficult than I'd thought and I had to settle for a light squeeze. I turned to open my door and got out of the car, making my way over to the passenger's side with vampire speed to help the half asleep Charlie out of his seat, he blinked a couple of times at my sudden appearance and chuckled to himself.

'I don't think I'll ever get used to you all doing that' he sighed and closed the door behind him. 'Thanks for the lift Alice, and good luck for tomorrow' he called over his shoulder as he made his way slowly up the steps to his house, I stayed to make sure he got in safely and turned to head back home, he was definitely Bella's father I'd give him that, they both had this same surreal ability to accept the most impossible of surprises with nerves of steel. It was nice to finally be able to see where Bella had gotten it from.

I arrived back at the house only a couple of minutes later, at vampire speed it was nothing to make it from town back to our house, I would have thought that being this heavily pregnant would have slowed me down but all it did was make a few things slightly awkward. I knew Jasper worried about how I wasn't taking it easy but I always assured him that the baby was fine, it didn't stop him from trying to coddle me though but I liked to see the protective side of him, it let me know that he'd be an amazing father to our little girl.

'Hey guys I'm back' I called as I came into the living room, the sofas were now pretty much vacant except for Emmett who was watching some sports game as Jacob snored on the end of the couch. I could hear Bella and Emse in the kitchen with Carlisle. I could hear Rose upstairs with the twins whilst Edward played the piano. A few others were dotted around in various rooms throughout the house, and judging by Eric's discomforted expression as he came down the stairs, the noises from the bedrooms were Thomas and Katlyn; they made a nice couple and I was glad to see that Tanya and Fred were also getting along well, it was about time that she found her own mate.

'Hey honey' Jasper said, coming in from the back garden, 'I was just cleaning up the garden after last night, did Charlie get home alright?' he asked, sitting down and pulling me into his lap.

'Yeah, poor guy, he was half asleep by the time I dropped him off. He's had to absorb so much today.' I answered him, playing with a strand of his honey coloured hair, I wondered briefly what colour hair our daughter would have, in my vision it'd been dark like mine but I thought that maybe it could lighten as she grew. I remembered that I still hadn't picked out a name for her, I thought briefly about Cynthia, after my human sister, but I had no memory of my early life so it felt like a hollow gesture in some ways; there had been one name that had been swimming around in my mind for a few days, 'Jaz…what do you think about the name Madeline?' I asked him.

'For our little girl?' he asked, smiling up at me, 'it has a certain ring to it. Madeline…' he said, rolling the name around on his tongue, 'little Maddie…I like it' he answered and placed a hand on my stomach, 'is that the name you want?' he asked me and I nodded, smiling down at him as he traced little circles on my sweater

'Yes' I said, 'it's exactly the name that I want'.

As I sat there in his arms, I felt the familiar pull of a vision in my mind. The room I was in blurred away into the background and Jasper's contented hum was replaced by the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, a tinkling laugh enveloped me as I observed the scene from an invisible vantage point, I watched as a small girl who looked about eight years old ran through the living room, her laugh ringing out throughout the house as Jasper chased her around the sofa. She had dark hair which gave off a gentle flicker of honey when the light caught it; her eyes were a deep brown that was the perfect copy of how I had always imagined Jaz's to be. She was truly beautiful as she grinned back at her pursuer, her smile showing the most delicate little dimples on her pixie like face as it glowed with mirth. She let out a little scream as Jasper caught up and scooped her into his arms; I then saw myself enter the room, a look of amusement on my face as I placed my hands on my hips and laughed at how they suddenly stopped in their game to face me, the girl dangling upside down whilst Jasper gripped her legs.

'Maddy, how many times have I told you that if you provoke your father he _will_ fight back' the other me said, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

'I'm sorry momma, but daddy was being boring with uncle Edward and I wanted to play' the little girl grinned as Jasper put her down the right way up and mussed her hair.

'Kkay fine then' the other me said and knelt down to the girl's eye level, 'now how about you help mommy give uncle Emmett a makeover, it's about time someone punished him for hogging the tv', the little girl giggled and ran off out of the room, her laughter leaving a trail behind her as she ran off through the house.

'She's quite the handful, our little Maddy' my future-self sighed, leaning into Jasper as he joined her.

'She takes after her mother in that way' he replied, chuckling to himself as he wrapped his arms around his wife, the scene began to flicker away, leaving the last image of my future self and Jaz staring happily at each other. I came out of the vision with a huge smile on my face, being able to see my daughter, so happily playing with Jasper made my heart swell.

'What's up with the dopey grin Alice?' Bella asked from across the room, amusement on her face as she looked up from her book.

'Oh just a nice vision, that's all' I sighed and turned around to look at Jasper, 'I can't wait to meet our daughter, she's so beautiful' I whispered and he grinned up at me.

'I'll just bet she is, so you saw her?' he asked.

'Yeah I did, little Maddy is quite the little trouble maker though, she's gonna be a lot to handle' I laughed.

'Well, I wouldn't expect any less from your daughter' he chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

'Funny, that's what the future you said as well' I huffed and he laughed at me.

'Must be true then' he said and grinned when I playfully hit his arm. 'So how long until we can expect the little devil?' he asked, and I thought back to the vision I'd had a couple of days ago.

'Not long' I answered, it was already four in the morning and my vision told me it was going to be before midday, 'by noon definitely' I amended and grinned at him, the idea that by this afternoon I would have a daughter of my very own made me giddy with anticipation. I kissed Jasper briefly on the forehead and got to my feet, my sweater stretching over my stomach with the movement. My wardrobe was going to be seriously damaged after this pregnancy, oh well, any excuse for a shopping trip I thought; maybe I could convince Bella to come with me again but it was almost impossible to convince her to shop.

After running a nice hot and foamy bath, I sank my body slowly into the water and sighed as the heat and scented bubbles enveloped me. For some reason people didn't think vampires liked to have baths, maybe they thought we were the shower type of people or perhaps assumed we didn't need to wash but I loved to have baths. Just because I have no body heat myself, doesn't mean that I don't like the feeling of a nice hot soak I thought as I wiggled my toes around in the water; it was one of my favourite things to do after a long day of shopping, that was why I had insisted on having a giant and old fashioned tub put into my bathroom when Esme remodelled. I couldn't survive if I didn't have my baths.

I suddenly felt movement inside of me and then a pain spread through my stomach and around to my back, after a minute it was gone but then another, even stronger, aching began. 'Oh no' I breathed, the baby must be on its way I thought and started taking deep breaths in and letting them out.

'Jazz' I called out and took in another breath as he came running into the bathroom with a panicked look on his face.

'What's wrong, are you okay, I felt pain coming from you a minute ago' he rushed, looking around the room for any possible threat and I chuckled at him; that was my Jasper I thought, always the soldier. Another shoot of pain took hold of me and I gripped the side of the bathtub to steady myself, causing it to crumble away in my hands. Jasper rushed over to my side and took my hand, a worried look on his face.

'Is it…' he trailed off, looking at where my stomach rose above the bubbles and I nodded as I kept breathing in and out, holding on to his hand like it was a life support.

'It's time' I breathed.


	18. Madeline

**Chapter 18: Edward POV**

I was sitting in the music room when Nessie came in and climbed up onto the stool next to me smiling; she'd obviously just woken and was still in her pyjamas, it was only about half past five in the morning but she didn't sleep much due to her vampire half. I paused in my playing and hugged her to my side, breathing in the scent of her hair and she snuggled up to me.

'How are you doing sweetie, I didn't wake you up did I?' I asked her, already knowing why she had sought me out, I heard in her mind that she wanted to learn the piano as a surprise for her mother, I thought it was sweet.

'Daddy, can you teach me how to make music too?' she whispered up at me, 'I want to surprise momma so we have to be quiet' she giggled looking up at me. I knew Bella could probably hear everything anyway no matter how absorbed she may be by reading her favourite book, Wuthering Heights, but I also knew she would probably pretend to be none the wiser and let Renesmee surprise her anyway.

_Maybe I can write a song for my Jakey as well, he'd like that._ She thought to herself, it was rare that she could go five minutes without thinking about some other way to make Jake happy. I was dreading the time when she would be older, I knew teenage minds only too well and the last thing I wanted was to hear the same disturbing thoughts that I'd heard in countless young people's minds going through my daughter's head.

'Okay sweetie, it'll probably be best if we see how well you can copy me first, you're half vampire so you'll probably pick it up quite easily' I spoke softly, 'but your mother's clumsy side of you might get in the way' I added smiling, Bella would have definitely heard that, I caught a distinct huff from downstairs and was sure that she had.

I played her a few bars from Schubert's Serenade and then stopped, turning to her. 'Do you think you can do that sweetie?' I asked and she nodded hesitantly, placing her tiny hands on the piano. With a look of complete concentration on her face, she played out what I had just done with only a few mistakes; I instructed her to play it again and this time she got it perfectly, even being able to use her enhanced speed to press the notes which her small hands would have otherwise had a problem reaching. It never ceased to amaze me what would happen to a person's mind when they played piano; it was a strange trick the music played on their thoughts, causing the most beautiful of images to enter their minds. I watched in delight as my daughter played out the piece, swirls of colour dancing around in her mind as her fingers hit the notes and she felt the music.

'Amazing Nessie, you're very talented' I smiled and she beamed at the praise, I was very proud of her and loved that we could share a love of music with each other. 'But before you can compose a piece for your mother it would be best to learn a little more wouldn't it?' I asked her quietly and she nodded silently and placed her hand on my neck, the vision she showed me was one of me and her laughing as we played a beautiful duet whilst Bella beamed at us from a chair in the corner of the room. She removed her hand and smiled up at me, I chuckled at her sweet and hopeful face.

'Okay then Nessie, we can learn some duets' I answered her unasked question and mussed her hair. I placed my hands back onto the piano, deciding to teach her some Bach, when a shocked thought from down the hall stopped me in my tracks. Alice was in her bathroom and she'd just begun to feel pain, sure enough Jasper ran past the music room and down towards their bedroom. _Pain, it hurts but yay it's time, ouch _she thought. It seemed like she was going into labour.

'I'm sorry sweetie, we'll have to learn more later, Aunt Alice is about to have her baby and I'm gonna need to lend a hand' I told her and she started jumping up and down on the seat. _The baby is comin! I wanna see, I wanna see!_

'Another cousin, really? I can't wait!' she exclaimed giggling and I had to laugh at her excitement.

'Yes, another one. Why don't you go and get your mother to help you get washed and dressed and then you can go outside and play with Zach and Elsie' I said and she frowned.

'But I want to meet the baby' she pouted and I chuckled at her.

'You will Nessie, but it's going to be a bit chaotic when the baby's on her way so you'll need to wait until later' I explained as Bella came in to collect Nessie.

'Come on honey, let's leave the grown-ups to help Aunt Alice and go play with your cousins' she said, taking Nessie's hand as she leant down to give me a quick kiss on the lips. 'Good luck, tell Alice I'm rooting for her' she smiled and left the room with Nessie.

I sighed and placed the top down on the piano just in time to see Jasper carry a panting Alice into Carlisle's office where he was waiting. _Crap crap crap crap crap crap the baby is coming!_ He thought frantically and I laughed at his panic as I hurried up my step and went down the hallway after them, entering the room just as Jasper was placing Alice down on the table, keeping a hold of her hand as she had another contraction. The rest of the household had moved back into the lounge in order to wait for the arrival and I could hear their thoughts, all hoping that she would be okay even though we hadn't foreseen any problems. I went over to Jasper and patted him on the shoulder, I could hear in his thoughts that he was still slightly panicked.

_Oh god, what if I freak out and can't help her. I need to soothe her but I can't even get a grip on my own emotions! I'm gonna be a dad, shit. What if I end up scarring the child for life, or even worse? I can't be a dad, I can barely cope with keeping myself under control, how am I supposed to teach my little girl to control her thirst if I'm the one fantasising about killing every human I meet? _

After almost a hundred and fifty years of believing that vampires couldn't have children, he was now faced with the reality of actually becoming a father. We all owed a lot to Eric; the newest member of our family had given us the gift of creating life. Rose especially, practically worshipped the ground he walked on, which for Rose was a very high commendation indeed. I could see that Jaz was having a hard time, he'd been pretty happy and calm lately but I supposed that all of the panic was creeping up on him at once.

'Are you okay Jaz?' I asked him and he nodded quietly, a glazed look on his face. I could hear a million thoughts running through his mind; he was worried that the blood would drive him crazy even though he'd made it through Rose's birth without any problem. He was also remembering how uncomfortable Rose had been and didn't want Alice in any pain, he wanted so much to be able to help her through it but his own emotions were flickering between anticipation, worry, happiness, panic and protectiveness so fast that he wasn't able to get a grip on them, let alone be able to soothe Alice's emotions. He was also considering how amazing his wife was, she was the one giving birth yet the only emotions coming from her were happiness with only the occasional trace of pain from the labour.

_Oh come on Jazz honey, calm down calm down. Ouch, that hurt. I'm having a baby! Hell yeah! Okay I need to get him to calm down before…oh another one, crap that hurts._ Alice was the one soothing her husband as he clutched her hand, the dazed expression still stretched across his face.

'Okay Alice, I think it's time to get Maddy out, now I'm going to count to three and then I'm going to need you to push okay?' Carlisle said from the end of the bed and she nodded that she understood.

'One…two….three…push, nice and easy' he said whilst Jaz kept an even tighter grip on Alice than she had on him, it was almost as if he was the one going through the labour, though I suppose being able to feel every one of her emotions as she gave birth was tantamount to going through it himself. I was glad I didn't have his gift, though having to hear the mind of every person in the vicinity all at once had caused me a lot of grief. That was why I felt so calmed by the tranquillity of Bella's mind, when I was with her I found the blissful silence that I could never otherwise get.

_I think I'm okay Edward; you can stop staring at me now. I just freaked out for a second._ I chuckled and squeezed his shoulders, noticing that the glazed expression had gone and he was now trying to focus on Alice's needs. I walked over to the table where Carlisle had already set up the water and towels and got ready for my niece's arrival.

'We only need one more now' Carlisle said and then counted to three again. Alice began pushing, her pixie face furrowed with the effort. I heard the thoughts of the child before I saw her; she was thinking about the brightness of the light and wondering why she had suddenly been torn from her warm and safe home. She also felt such strong love to the people whose voices she had heard as she was growing, she wanted to meet them. I smiled at her thoughts, I never tired of hearing the minds of children, it was only when people grew up that they developed hatred and prejudice, the thoughts of adults were rarely as kind as a child's, whose only prerogative is to be happy.

Alice had finished delivering the baby and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked up at Jasper. I felt the press of a small body and looked up as Carlisle placed their daughter in my arms; I carried her over to wash and clothe her. She was as perfect as Alice's vision had shown, I had seen through her mind how she saw the little girl and the child in my arms promised to grow into that vision. She had dark hair with tints of honey and smooth pale skin, her large brown eyes reminded me slightly of how Bella's had once been, but these were darker with swirls of caramel dancing around the edge. I smiled as she gurgled and looked up at me, _Daddy? _She thought in her mind, her glowing brown eyes gazing up at me.

'No little one, I'm your uncle Edward' I said, knowing that despite her physical age, her vampire mind allowed her to grasp the concept of our complicated family ties. _I want my momma and daddy_ she sang in her mind, a commanding tone resonating around her head as she narrowed her eyes. I chuckled to myself at the way that her mental voice sounded so much like Alice's.

'You want to meet your parents?' I asked as I finished buttoning up the tiny fleece pyjamas we had bought, they were made of a special stretchy material and were baggy on her in anticipation of her rapid growth. She smiled up at me, grasping at the air as she commanded me to take me to her parents in her mind, I laughed again as she repeated the order, there was so much of Alice in her already, and beyond the pixie like face she had the aura of someone who always got their way. I also wondered what gifts she may one day have, having two parents who each had such powerful gifts, I had no doubt that she would amaze us. I picked her up and carefully cradled her in my arms, turning around to see the expectant faces of Alice and Jasper, whose panicked expression had been replaced by one of wonder upon seeing his daughter.

'Here you go Maddy, it's your mommy and daddy.' I whispered as I passed her to Alice who grinned and nestled her against her chest, playing with her daughters little fingers as she tried to grab hold.

_She's so beautiful, just like I pictured_ Alice thought, her mental tone ringing out with pure happiness as she gazed down at her daughter. Jasper's thoughts were similar, he was thinking about how adorable she was, though the main thoughts running through his mind were_ Oh my God, Oh my God, I'm a father…I'm a dad…she's so pretty, what am I going to do when she starts dating, I swear to God I will kill any guy who even thinks about hurting her…_I laughed outright as his mental tirade, it was eerily similar to how I felt about Nessie and how Emmett felt towards Elsie, though we all knew that Elsie would probably beat any boys up before they had a chance to take advantage. Still, it was good to know that I wasn't the only one who was paranoid about my daughter reaching…_that age_ I thought as I shuddered in dreadful expectation.

Jasper laughed when Maddy used her natural vampire quickness to finally seize Alice little finger, letting out a miniscule shriek of victory when she finally grasped it. She was certainly an energetic child, I thought. Though most children were usually a constant bundle of energy, I expected Alice's daughter to have the same unbelievable vitality as her mother. Sure she could inherit Jaz's calm air, but I had a feeling that we would more likely be seeing a miniature Alice twirling around the house instead.

'Do you guys need anything?' I asked them and they shook their heads, still intent on watching Maddy.

'No, it's alright, tell everyone to meet us in the living room so they can meet our little angel' Alice said, smiling down at Maddy and giggling when she let out a little gurgle.

I grinned at them and headed back downstairs towards the living room, almost everyone was already waiting on the sofas.. As I came down the stairs I saw that Carmen, Eleazar, Paige and Anthony were on one sofa, they'd become quite close recently, I was constantly hearing them in each other's thoughts. Eric and Leah were sharing one of the armchairs and I had to control myself not to grimace at the images going through their minds. Since they'd imprinted they'd been inseparable and I was astounded at the amount of filth that could run through one person's head, and that was just Eric, Leah was worse. I was happy that'd she'd found her soul mate though, I had felt the pain inside her mind at being forced to witness the man she loved, Sam, imprint on Emily so it was a relief that she now had her own person to share her life with, it also meant that she was a lot let hostile towards us. In fact, she even liked us, but I didn't tell that I knew about her new fondness for us. That would just embarrass her.

_Yay, the baby's coming. I hope she likes me. _I heard the excited thought from Nessie, who was bouncing up and down on Bella's lap in anticipation, I chuckled and settled down next to my wife and daughter, kissing them both on the forehead as I settled back and placed my feet on the coffee table. _You had better take your feet off of my table young man or so help me god…_Esme thought as she came in from the kitchen, a look of annoyance on her face.

'Edward' she moaned with her hands on her hips, 'I just polished that so please don't put your feet on it, use the footstall instead' she chastised me and I grinned at her, lifting my feet up in an exaggeratedly slow manner as she raised an eyebrow. She was so motherly when she did that, it made me laugh, she gave in and huffed, taking a seat.

'So…when are we gonna meet the little one?' Thomas asked, coming in from the garden with Katlyn and Elsie who beamed up at us. From the appearance of Thomas's face, Elsie had been trying out one of her new creations on him, the streaks of blue on his eyelids and truly hideous red lips were casualties of the device she'd built to automatically apply make-up. He noticed me looking and inwardly grimaced, _it's not my fault I look like this, she attacked me!_ He practically yelled in his head and I saw the memory of Elsie launching herself at him and pinning him down before beginning her torture. I suspected that she was less interested in using it for beauty and more interested in using it to torment him; he seemed to be her favourite guinea pig every time she built something new.

Elsie let go of Katlyn's hand and ran over to where her brother Zach was playing on the floor, Nessie also jumped off Bella's lap and ran over to join them. They then began the type of ecstatic conversation that only children were capable of and I laughed as the girls began ordering Zach around like little queens. _Uncle Edward, help me please_ his panicked thoughts floated towards me and I chuckled at him. He sighed and turned back to the girls, resigning himself to more torture.

'Hey guys, where's the baby?' Jacob called as he came in through the back door with Emmett, Oliver and Tanya where they'd been watching as Emmett had attempted to teach Oliver how to fight, judging by the dishevelled look of him I didn't think he was a natural warrior like Nessie had turned to out to be. I was initially upset at the idea of my daughter being taught how to fight but after I had a chance to think about it, I came around to the idea, not that she'd ever need to because she's always have us to protect her but I wanted to know that if she had to, she'd be able to protect herself. Even though she was still tiny, she was getting quite talented at the martial arts that Jaz was teaching her.

'We're waiting for Baby Maddy' Nessie smiled as she grabbed his hand and forced him to sit on the floor where Elsie began to place the same bows in his hair that Nessie had tortured him with just the other day; he didn't complain though, he knew that Nessie liked playing with his hair so he was growing it out a bit. It was only inevitable that any little girls would immediately take that as an invitation to treat him like a doll, so he was used to it. We all chuckled as the girls then proceeded to torment him further by bringing out a pink box that appeared to be full of extra ribbons and clips to add to the already extravagant collection that was growing in his hair. Thomas shot him a sympathetic look when Elsie pulled out her make-up contraption to use on him.

Right then we were all interrupted by the procession coming down the stairs, I looked up to see Alice and Jasper followed by Carlisle, in their arms they held the same adorable little girl that had been upstairs, they grinned up at us as they made their way over to the sofa and sat down next to Esme who was immediately joined by everyone else as they fussed over Maddy.

_Oh they look so happy and perfect, like a real family _Esme mentally sighed in happiness as she gazed at them; _I'm a grandma…again! I wonder when me and Carlisle will have our little baby_…she trailed off and to my horror began planning her and Carlisle…conceiving said baby.

'Esme _please_ stop that train of thought, I'd expect it from Emmett and Rose but you're supposed to be an adult!' I groaned, Emmett burst into a fit of laughter at what he imagined I had seen and Esme rolled her eyes.

'I _am_ an adult Edward, it's perfectly natural for me to…think certain things' she sighed and I shuddered, she mentally laughed at me but returned her attention to Alice and Jasper anyway, much to my relief. 'Ooh she's so cute, she looks just like her mommy and daddy. Don't you my little princess' she cooed as she played with Maddy's little feet. Carlisle moved to take his seat with Esme whilst everyone else crowded round the bundle in Alice arms, oohing and ahhing at the little girl.

'How long until Nelle gets here?' Alice asked, looking up from Maddy as Nessie, Elsie and Zack gathered around her, practically kicking Emmett in the face in an effort to get a look at the child.

'Oh not long now, her and Seth will be along in a few minutes, at least I assume they should, when I left them this morning they were planning to be here by eight or nine and it's already quarter to' Leah answered from where she sat on Eric's lap.

'Why are you so curious about Nelle?' Nahuel asked as he came in and immediately grinned at Maddy.

'Oh I had a vision and we were good friends' she replied simply, as if daring him to deny her a new friend and he chuckled at her. I saw the flicker of an image in her mind, it was similar to the vision she had seen years ago that had told her of her and Bella's impending friendship; I could see her, Nelle and Katlyn standing outside a shop window, ogling the clothes on display. Their arms were full of shopping bags and I mentally groaned, yet another person in my life who was obsessed with shopping…_great_.

'Okay okay, I'll just have to hope that you don't lead her astray' he laughed and sat down on an empty chair.

'Like I would do that?' Alice replied sweetly and we laughed at her feigned innocence.

We all sat around in the living room for the next ten minutes, taking it in turns to hold and bounce Maddy in our arms, she absolutely adored Bella but then again I couldn't really blame her, I felt the same way myself. It was my turn to hold her and I decided to look into her mind, she was busy cataloguing everyone's faces and memorising their names. _The yellow haired girl is pretty, like a princess; she's my…aunt? The big man looks like a bear…Emmett. Bella is nice, her and Uncle Edward look like Nessie. My mom is the prettiest though, she looks like an angel._

'What is she thinking?' Jasper asked from Alice's side.

'Oh nothing much, she's just trying to figure out who everyone is, she's very clever' I said and smiled over at him, 'she knows who you and Alice are and I told her who I was earlier, she's not sure about everyone else though, but she does know your names. She thinks Emmett looks like a bear and that Rose is a princess' I explained and decided to make it easier on her. 'I am Edward and Bella is my wife and your aunt, Carlisle is you grandfather and Esme is your grandmother, Emmett and Rose are also your aunt and uncle and they're married too, their children are the one's called Zack and Elsie and Nessie is my daughter' I whispered to her and everyone laughed, 'there's also Eric and Katlyn who are brother and sister but also like aunt and uncle to you, then there's Thomas, Eleazar, Anthony, Paige, Oliver, Kate, Violet, Leah and Nahuel. Do you understand?' I asked her and Jasper huffed. _There's no way she can understand that, hell, even I have a problem getting to grips with it. _He thought, but looked at Maddy in the hope that she would understand.

'There's no way she can understand all that, it's confusing enough for me' he laughed.

'No she does understand, she said yes in her head when I asked, and now she wants to know who this Seth and Nelle person is that we were talking about earlier, she's very observant' I replied.

'Don't worry Maddy, they're nice, Seth is really fun to play with; I'll show you him' Nessie smiled and she gently placed her hand on Maddy's cheek, showing her a memory of her and Seth having a water fight in the garden last weekend.

The baby giggled and clapped her hands happily as Nessie sat down next to me; she was obviously pleased with the idea of water fights. I watched as she pictured Seth's face in her mind and was confused as I saw a strange golden haze envelope the image; I felt through her thoughts, a bizarre tingling sensation that felt as if it were a pressure building, and then she just…vanished in a swarm of golden lights before disappearing completely. We all gasped, panic outlining everyone's thoughts as we tried to comprehend how it was possible that she had just disappeared, she wasn't invisible, because I couldn't feel her in my arms anymore…she was actually gone. We all jumped up; unsure as to what to do next, when we heard a surprised shriek from outside, running to the door I pulled it open and searched the yard for the reason behind the sound. There, standing dumbstruck whilst holding Maddy was Seth and Nelle.

'She just appeared out of thin air in front of us' he gasped, still a little shocked, we were too. 'One minute Nelle and I were walking towards the house and the next minute we see this baby just pop into existence, can you tell me what the hell is going on?' he asked us, looking down at Maddy with apprehension, she just giggled up at him and clapped again.

'I think she just…teleported' Eleazar whispered.

**Review please : )**


	19. Gifts

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

Chapter 19: Bella's POV:

As I sat there, watching as Edward cradled Alice's daughter in his arms whilst Nessie showed her some image, I felt so complete. I thought I couldn't get any happier once we had Renesmee, but I realised now that I had always wished for Rose and Alice to be able to have children so that Nessie could have little cousins to play with. Though I knew it was impossible, I had always held on to the hope that some miracle would happen to give them what they'd always wanted. And it did. Eric had given the Cullens the chance to truly complete their family, I would always be thankful towards him for that. Even if I was still slightly annoyed at him for the whole pledge stunt he had pulled.

I laughed when Maddy started clapping her tiny hands in response to whatever Nessie had shown her, but the laughter faded when I focused on Edwards face. It was barely noticeable to anyone else, perhaps Carlisle would have seen it but he was busy talking with Jaz. The change from amusement to confusion flickered subtly across Edwards features but I still caught it. Things very rarely confused Edward, being a mind reader he usually knew a lot more about what was happening in any given situation than others, so I was concerned that whatever was happening in Maddy's mind was giving him pause. I looked down at Maddy, perhaps hoping that she could give me some clue but all I saw was her little face, scrunched up in concentration.

I was about to overlook whatever was happening when my attention was bought back to her, I watched in confusion as a strange golden light, almost as if countless stars were surrounding her, created a visible aura around her tiny body. I looked around the room to see if anyone had noticed or if I was just going insane, however, I noted that almost everyone else in the room was staring at the same golden light, expressions ranging from shock, curiosity, awe and panic were in their faces as they all watched Maddy to see what was happening to her. I looked back at the little girl and saw that the golden light had intensified, building up until she appeared as if an angel from heaven would, her pale skin was glowing as the light engulfed her and then she was…gone.

We all stared in horror at the place where she had been just a second before, not knowing whether to panic or search for her, I jumped up from my seat on the couch and was joined as everyone else began to spin and wheel about as if searching for her in the room. There was a sudden sound from outside and Edward was at the door in a second, wrenching it open as we all flew out into the garden. There, standing not fifty yards from the house, frozen in place with a look of bewilderment painted across his face was Seth; I saw that Nelle too, was gazing down in shock at the tiny figure in his arms.

'She just appeared out of thin air in front of us' he said looking perplexed. 'One minute Nelle and I were walking towards the house and the next minute we see this baby just pop into existence, can you tell me what the hell is going on?'

I saw a look of sudden interest spread across Eleazar's face as he stared at Maddy. Obviously his ability to sense gifts was giving him more of an idea as to what just happened than we could see; I knew that there were countless gifts out there but I'd never seen anything as mystifying as what Maddy had appeared to do, had she turned invisible and then crawled out side perhaps? No, I thought, it was too sudden, though I did see her ivory skin dim slightly before she vanished, as if she were fading away before she disappeared completely.

'I think she just…teleported' whispered Eleazar and we all looked from him, to Maddy and then back again.

Well, that answered the question of what on earth was going on with her. I had been petrified that she had been taken by some unseen force. Given everything that I had witnessed in my short life as a vampire; I wouldn't put it past someone to have the ability to make people disappear, so I was relieved that it simply appeared to be her own ability making her vanish, though that in itself was frightening in its potency.

'So she can…teleport? Like actually travel from one place to another like _that_?' Emmett asked, snapping his fingers at the end of his question, 'wow, just…wow' he whispered, staring at Maddy who was being held out at arm's length by Seth.

'She's not a bomb Seth' Alice said rolling her eyes, 'she's just a very special little girl' she cooed, moving over to take Maddy from him.

'Wouldn't expect anything less from her gene pool' Carlisle murmured to Eleazar who nodded his head in agreement.

'Quite, it was inevitable that she would be born with some form of power that would be linked to her parents, like how Nessie's is the reverse of Edwards' Eleazar explained, looking at Maddy who was now in Alice's arms.

'So Alice's ability to somewhat mentally travel in time in her mind, allows for Maddy to physically travel in space' Edward said thoughtfully and Eleazar nodded.

'Don't mean to sound like an idiot guys but this is all sounding a bit like Star Trek, did she or did she not teleport' Seth asked.

'Simply put, yes Seth. She can visualise her destination and then her power allows for her to travel there almost instantly, well judging from what I saw in her mind before she disappeared that is' Edward told him.

'Well, aren't you just full of surprises my little teleporter' Alice cooed at Maddy, who giggled up at her mother as we headed back towards the house. The buzz of disbelief was still in the air as we settled back into the lounge, but this family was well used to surprises by now and I chuckled at the way we were able to simply move past it, though I had a feeling that Carlisle and Eleazar were itching to test Maddy's limitations.

'So Nelle, did you have a good time down at LaPush' Esme asked as we sunk back into the sofas.

'Oh it was wonderful' Nelle answered, taking a seat on the couch next to Seth who was grinning at her. 'Sue is so lovely, and she's such a good cook too. Everyone at the reservation was really welcoming; they all seemed to be relieved that Seth had finally found someone' she smiled, clasping Seth's hand.

'You're forgetting that my mum did the whole twenty questions routine with you, like she did with Eric' Leah smiled and Eric chuckled. Obviously Sue felt a little protective of Seth and Leah, I supposed because they were both members of the pack, she probably felt like she was left out of the loop a lot. She must have felt like their romantic relationships was the only thing she could really have any say on.

'Well what do you expect, her _favourite_ child has just met their soul mate, of course she's bound to be curious' Seth grinned, sticking his tongue out at his sister.

'Shut up, just because you're a big momma's boy!' Leah answered, from then on the entire conversation devolved into a sibling quarrel. Me and Eric just rolled our eyes at each other while Nelle stared dumb struck between the two, she obviously hadn't realised that when they weren't around the calming influence of Sue they acted like a couple of children. Eventually though, they seemed to realise that the whole room was staring at them, Zach seemed to think it was hilarious to see two people who argued more than his parents and was giggling happily with Nessie.

'Sorry' Seth mouthed and leaned back in the couch.

'Anywayyyyy….' Alice trilled from her position across the room. 'I want to know more about you Nelle, Nahuel has refused to tell us anything yet' she said, glaring at Nahuel who had the good sense to look guiltily at her.

'It's not my fault; she told me she wanted to get to know all of you at once. Besides, I haven't seen her for twenty years so I doubt that I'd have been able to tell you that much. Just because you're too nosy for your own good' Nahuel answered, reflexively catching the cushion that Alice launched at his head. Nelle laughed at her brother and Alice and sighed.

'It's my fault Alice, I wanted to get to know Sue and got a bit carried away, I'll answer any questions you want, though I don't know why you're so desperate to know about me' she said to Alice who smiled back at her.

'It's simple, I had a vision and we're really good friends. You're like a part of the family, so I of course get to know you, how else am I supposed to be able to pick out clothes for you?' Alice asked innocently and Nelle paled a little bit, evidentially she'd heard the stories about Alice's tortuous make-overs, probably from Leah, who had spent almost an hour trying to escape Alice after she imprinted on Eric. Apparently Alice took their imprinting to mean that she was going to plan their immediate wedding and had been hounding Leah with silk samples ever since.

'Thank you Alice, I really do want to be a part of the family. I already feel like I could fit in here, my brother told me of how welcoming you've been for him' Nelle said, blushing slightly.

'Excellent' Alice grinned, practically jumping in her seat. I was just glad that Maddy was in Jasper's arms now, because Alice was acting a little too energetic to be able to hold a baby, even if it _was_ a vampire baby. Let the interrogation begin I thought, raising my eyebrow at her. It seemed like only yesterday that I myself was on the receiving end of one of Alice's relentless _getting to know you_ interrogations.

'Oh yay!' Nessie squealed, she had been lost in her own world until Nelle had mentioned her name a second ago. She ran over and climbed up onto Nelle's lap, it seemed there was no one who she wouldn't cuddle up to. I smiled at Nelle's wondered expression as she placed her palm on her cheek and showed her something. She sat back and looked at Nelle, awaiting an answer to whatever silent question she had asked.

Nelle's slightly surprised look faded away and she smiled down at Nessie. 'I would love to play with you too and yes, Seth and I are imprinted like you and Jacob' she answered her and Nessie smiled up at her.

We weren't planning on telling Nessie about imprinting until she was older, but her ever observant mind had put two and two together after seeing some of the other pack members and hearing them talk about imprinting. I didn't mind too much though, I knew it would be at least five years before she looked at Jacob in any way other than a best friend or big brother, she liked the idea that he was magically bound to him. Though it had caused her to start treating him like a slave because she knew he couldn't say no whenever she wanted to dress someone up or something else ridiculous. Not that Jacob minded at all, he'd do anything to make her happy.

'That's a wonderful power you have there Nessie' she said and Nessie grinned in response, her little dimples making her look so angelic.

'Do you have any aunt Nelle?' she asked and we all looked to Nelle, I was always curious to see what each new vampire could do and wanted to know if Nelle also had a gift, though Nahuel didn't.

'Well I do have something I can do which is quite fun, nothing as cool as some of the things Seth has told me you lot can do, like mind reading for instance' she said raising her eyebrows at Edward who laughed in response to something she must have thought to him.

'What did she think at you?' I asked and he chuckled at Seth.

'She showed me a memory of Seth falling off one of the smaller cliffs yesterday, apparently he wasn't looking where he was going and walked right off the edge and fell into the water, then she said she thought he was an idiot. Whatever happened to your supernatural reflexes Seth?' he asked grinning and Seth blushed slightly under his dark skin.

'I can't help it if I was distracted' Seth mumbled and we all laughed at him, Nelle just chuckled and kissed him on his cheek which seemed to make him feel better.

'So what's your power?' Nessie asked, tugging on her sleeve and I rolled my eyes at her impatience.

'Okay I'll show you' she said and we all watched intently, waiting to see what she could do.

At first I didn't think anything was happening and then I noticed something odd, I couldn't smell her anymore. Perhaps she could alter her scent? I kept on watching her in case something else was going to happen and thought I must have been going insane when I saw that her beautiful midnight coloured hair seemed to be growing shorter, no…not shorter, it was disappearing from the ends upwards. Now that I really focused, I could see that other things were disappearing too. It spread from her finger tips and toes upwards, rippling across her like smoke as her skin began to fade away. Seth and Leah looked like they knew what was happening so they had obviously been shown it before, but everyone else in our group was completely shocked by what we were seeing. In a matter of seconds she had turned completely invisible and I watched in wonder as Nessie seemed to float in the air, giggling as she levitated to the ground. We couldn't see, smell or even hear her heartbeat or breathing anymore. I was beginning to wonder if she was even in the room when Esme shrieked, a strand of her hair seemed to be dancing up and down of its own accord and we all laughed as one by one everyone got attacked by some deranged poltergeist.

'Is she even in the room?' Edward asked, 'I can't sense her at all, not even her thoughts. It's as if she's completely invisible to every sense, even power. Bella, can you see her still?' he asked me and I shook my head. She was completely invisible to me.

'No' I said and chuckled as Seth's shoes appeared to walk on their own accord across the floor and then stop.

'So her power isn't mental, it's completely physical. Very impressive' Eleazar murmured, looking around to try and see where Nelle had gone now.

'That is so cool!' Emmett grinned and Rose nodded begrudgingly, even she had to admit that is was a pretty awesome power.

'Wait, Nelle, are you still here?' Seth asked, glancing around to see if she'd reappeared but for all we knew she could have easily slipped out without any of us noticing.

'I'm still here,I can allow you to hear my voice if I wish but still remain invisible' her disembodied voice said and we all jumped in shock; it's pretty hard to surprise a vampire, but Nelle's gift was quite impressive.

'Awesome isn't she?' Seth grinned towards where the voice had come from and we all gasped as her body began to appear, as if the invisibility was trickling off her from the head downwards. I could smell her scent now, as well as hear and see her. Chelsea's mate Afton had the gift of invisibility too, but his was relatively useless and very weak, the only reason the Volturi kept him around was probably to make Chelsea happy. There was no comparison between his and Nelle's power; I could see that hers far outweighed most vampires' gifts, let alone his joke of a disappearing act.

'I feel so inadequate around you lot' Paige sighed, causing Anthony to chuckle. 'Honey, you can bloody control fire, I _think_ that means that you fit in more than you think' he laughed and she rolled her eyes, unable to help her wide grin in response. I liked them as a couple, their wildly differing physical appearances made for a very bizarre match, but it sort of fit in a way; every part of them balancing the other out as she curled up against him. He was tall and she was petite, he was handsome and she was beautiful, he was dark skinned and hers was the colour of ivory. Her hair, too, made for a shocking addition, the crimson waves reflected the eccentricity of the mismatched pair; with his childish humour and her sweet tranquillity, they balanced each other perfectly in the strangest of ways. I watched as she flickered a small flame in her hand, making it dance between her fingers as he watched, awed.

'Hey, do you reckon you can set fire to people?' Emmett grinned, a plan probably already formulating in his mind. He was obsessed with the idea of making himself into some masochistic test dummy, eager to have every power used against him to see if he could handle it.

'I could try…but it would be dangerous Em' she smiled shyly; he rolled his eyes dramatically and shot to his feet.

'Come on, it'll be fun Paige. Don't worry, I won't bite' he laughed at his own joke, causing us all to groan. He made that same joke a minimum of once every week, at least he was predictable. I sighed and followed them out into the garden; hopefully she'd be able to put him in his place, though I doubted a bazooka could manage that particular task.

'This isn't going to turn out well, is it?' I whispered to Edward as he and Anthony followed me outside. None of us had really had a chance to see her use her power yet, and a buzz of excitement was rippling through us as we headed into the garden.

'No I don't think so, Alice already had a vision and apparently he's going to scream like a little girl' he murmured, wrapping me in his arms as I chuckled at the mental image.

I watched apprehensively as Emmett placed himself in the middle of the yard, facing away from us as he stood about ten feet in front of Paige. She raised an eyebrow at him and planted her feet, looking slightly nervous but trying to seem confident from the looks of it. She probably didn't like the idea of using her gift against a friend, but Emmett was pretty impossible to discourage once he got an idea in his head. He _had_ been begging her for days. I couldn't see his face but I was guessing it was spread in an eager grin judging by the way he was hopping up and down in excitement. I mentally groaned at him, unable to help the smile that grew when I watched Emmett, it was pretty hard not to adore his easy going attitude.

Paige clenched her hands a couple of time, her brow furrowed in concentration; a sudden spark of vivid electricity burst to life in her golden eyes, creating a fiery glow within the irises as she spread her fingers out. I could feel the heat rolling off her in waves as small flames erupted across her skin, I had to remember that she wasn't actually on fire; her small frame made me feel worried to see such a fragile looking woman become engulfed in flames. I watched in awe as the flames spread over her skin, rippling over the alabaster surface and swarming up her arms. I would have expected the flames to be the yellow-orange hue that fire usually was, but they were more of a crimson red, matching the vivid colour of her hair.

'Okay Em, where dya want it?' she asked, flexing her slender fingers as she spoke; the movement caused the flames to flicker with more vitality, as if they were an extension of her. I supposed they were in a way, as much as all of our gifts were part of us.

'Ummm, aim for a chest blow, easier target and I don't really wanna risk getting my head blown off pumpkin' he chuckled; he had taken to calling her _pumpkin_ as a pet name, liking the annoyance it caused her. It had the desired effect, she growled slightly under her breath, raising one arm and curling her fingers inward, the movement harnessed the crimson flames, forming a sphere of pure fiery energy in her palm. All of her usual shyness had gone, leaving behind a slightly aggravated and powerful looking vampire in its wake. She pulled her arm towards her chest, smiling at Emmett before she hurled it, sort of like a flaming baseball, towards his torso. He flew backwards through the air, squealing like a girl just as predicted and crashed into a boulder, creating a very cartoonish Emmett shaped dent in the rock. I smelt smoke and burnt hair and turned to see his face, completely unable to control the laughter that erupted from me. He was patting himself down, slightly dazed but with a giddy smile as he hit at the smoking remains of his now scorched t-shirt; that wasn't what made me laugh though, he was completely missing both of his eyebrows. The pale skin of his face was covered in streaks of black soot and right where his eyebrows should be was nothing but pale and shiny white skin. Even better, he had no idea at all why every single person was practically rolling around on the grass laughing; even Esme and Carlisle were leaning against each other, trying to support the other while they doubled over in laughter.

'What? What's so funny?' Emmet asked, the puckered skin that should be his eyebrows raised with the question which just made us all laugh even harder.

'Wait…wait right there!' Esme gasped, running back into the house and coming back a second later with a large, professional looking camera and snapping a picture of Emmett, who still looked confused and slightly barbequed.

'Daddy! You have no eyebrows!' Elsie giggled from the ground where she, Zack and Nessie had given in to the laughter and were squirming in the grass, gripping their sides.

'What? Shit…I mean oh no!' he corrected himself when Rose shot him a murderous look but couldn't hold it due to the whole _no eyebrows_ problem. 'Wait, shouldn't they grow back, I mean…I am a vampire after all…there's the whole healing thing' he murmured, starting to panic as he felt where his eyebrows had been. He may not be as vein as his wife but I doubted anyone would want to stuck as an immortal with a face the way his looked now.

'I really should have warned you, but you were so _insistent_ Emmy' Paige laughed and rolled her eyes, 'but my fire creates permanent damage, whatever it burns will stay gone. That's why I didn't do anything like blow your hand off' she explained and then couldn't help but giggle at Emmett's now furious look which still looked ridiculous on his new face. 'But don't worry, I'm pretty sure that Eric could fix it' she said, holding her hands up in a pacifying gesture; the red flames were gone now and her eyes had returned to their normal gold, though her hair was still crimson, that never changed I guessed. Emmett shot Eric a desperate look, causing him to laugh even harder even though he'd only just managed to calm himself down.

'Maybe I can, Maybe I can't….I'm not so sure I want to now' he grinned evilly, having the good sense to dart away when Emmett launched himself after him, chasing him around the side of the house.

'I think the children are going to be a while' Anthony sighed, squeezing Paige to his side and kissing her temple. 'I'm proud of you honey, you kicked his ass' he grinned and she smiled up at him.

'I just hope my husband looks normal again, I don't think I'll let him out of the house if he's stuck like that' Rose huffed and Anthony chuckled.

'I could always try and draw some on for him if you're that bothered Rosie' he shrugged, receiving a thwack on the arm from Rose.

'You know I really don't blame you Rose, I wouldn't want to be seen with someone who looked perpetually surprised' Tanya laughed as Oliver clasped his chest in feigned shock.

'So are you saying that if I had no eyebrows you would lock me away like your dirty little secret?' he gasped and she chuckled.

'I'd tie you up and leave you in the basement sweetie, so remember that if you ever decide to get creative with the razor' she warned him.

'Oh I like the idea of the tying up part' he murmured in her ear causing her to giggle, I rolled my eyes and huffed.

'Guys…' I said, gesturing at Nessie. Tanya mouthed _sorry_ and went off into the house, whispering to Oliver. It wasn't that I didn't like them together, I loved that she'd gotten over Edward and that we sort of got along now, but I really didn't appreciate my already too mature for her years daughter hearing the kind of thing that Rose, Emmet and now Tanya talked about; though Rose and Emmett had gotten less obvious since Zack and Elsie came along.

'She really has gotten…_better_ since she found Oliver' Edward whispered from behind me, I jumped slightly, I hadn't realised that had snuck up on me. He laughed at my reaction and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

'Oh so you did notice the longing glances and snide comments Mr _you're just being paranoid_' I smirked, feeling his silent laughter against my neck.

'Maybe, point is…she's happy, we're happy…that's all that matters. You know what they say, gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette' he chuckled and I sighed; if by _eggs_ he meant my self-esteem then yeah sure, that's exactly what happened. I ignored my past jealousy of Tanya, she wasn't interested in him anymore and I was pretty sure that if he wanted to leave me for someone, he would have done so already. Besides, even though I loved him immensely and he was perfect for me in every way; I highly doubted anyone would be able to put up with his melodramatic over thinking of everything for long enough to steal him away.

I followed him back into the house, Nessie was starting to get that slightly grumpy look that meant she was becoming hungry and I thought it best to feed her before she took out her bad mood on poor Jake again. Esme helped me prepare the lunch, cooking together had become a new routine for us now that we had mouths to feed, she like to cook because it made her feel calm and I liked to cook because it was an old human habit that I just couldn't break. I felt content and at peace as I bustled around the kitchen, sharing jokes with Esme and juggling vegetables between the two of us, every now and again Violet would join us in the kitchen; she had been a chef before she was turned and had never quite been able to get over her love for cooking.

I wondered when the happiness would end, I had that same foreboding sense that my peace and contentment would be taken away again. It seemed that every time things were good, something would come along and destroy it. Whether it be James, Victoria, newborns or the Volturi…there was always _someone_ who wanted to ruin it. The pale face of Vasilios flickered to life in my mind and I felt the same dread that I always got when I just _knew_ that something bad was going to happen.

I didn't know how and I didn't know when, but somehow he was going to try and hurt my family…and soon.


	20. Search

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: Sorry this latest update took a while; I had an exam yesterday so I've been wondering around the house for the past week quoting Shakespeare in the vain hope that it would stick in my mind and I could remember it in the exam. But here it is…chapter 20! Woo. The plot's gonna pick up now, getting to the real good stuff. Please review and let me know what you think :D**

Chapter 20: Bella's POV

'Promise us that you'll keep in touch' Emse said, hugging Tanya.

'Of course Esme, we've all got our swanky new cell phones' she laughed, holding up the sleek red phone that Carlisle had bought everyone in the 'committee', it seemed a bit justice league to me but he assured me that we all needed to be only a phone call away from each other. Oliver would be going back to Denali with them now that he and Tanya had finally admitted to everyone that they were mated, I knew that he would fit in there and they needed some happiness since Irina's death.

'So where are you going?' I asked Violet who was also planning on leaving.

'Well, I really want to stay close. Partly for committee matters, but also because it'd be nice to be near all of you, besides, I like this part of the country regardless of all the rain' she smiled and I chuckled, I remember how much I hated all the rain here in Forks when I first arrived, I love it here now though.

'I was thinking of living in Seattle, I never got the chance to live in a city and thought it'd be a nice change to the nomad lifestyle. You know, put down roots. Who knows, I could maybe even enrol in college' she added, tucking her silver hair behind her ear.

'I'll miss you' Nessie told Carmen, hugging her waist. She really did love Carmen, she had been one of the first people to believe that she wasn't an immortal child and her and Nessie had become quite close.

'I'll miss you too little one' she smiled down at her, mussing her hair.

We all hugged each other, wishing Violet and the Denali's luck in their journeys, Esme had offered to give Violet some money to get her started but she didn't need any. Like most vampires she had a pretty hefty stash of money she had built up over the years, nowhere near as much as the Cullens had, but still enough to live comfortably for quite a while.

After they all left I collapsed onto the sofa. Now that the latest guests had gone, I felt a strange uselessness. We had all had our own little side projects for the last couple of weeks, what with Eleazar's training sessions and people coupling up left, right and centre. On top of that we had the arrival of Elsie, Zack and Maddy. It had given us all a sense of purpose, so now I felt kind of…bored. All the stress of my pregnancy, Renesmee's birth, the anticipation of the Volturi, the ensuing battle and the new order democracy for vampires had left me feeling satisfied, but completely drained emotionally. I felt like I needed a little break, not a vacation, just a little day to myself. Maybe I could go and visit Ben and Angela. I hadn't been able to see Angela in such a long time and I missed my best human friend.

'What's wrong momma?' Nessie asked, crawling into my lap and showing me how my expression looked to her, she thought I looked sad. I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

'Nothing much sweetie, I was thinking about my friend Angela that I haven't seen in a while. I miss her that's all' I sighed.

'Why don't you go see her then honey, I can use the opportunity to help Nessie with her surprise for you' Edward said winking at Nessie and coming over to the sofa.

I knew what he was talking about, Nessie had decided to learn how to play the piano and she wanted to surprise me with a duet by her and Edward. I didn't let on that I knew though, I didn't want to spoil Nessie's present so I smiled and kissed him softly.

'Thanks, I think I might do that, you won't need the Volvo will you?' I asked, praying that it would be okay to use the least outrageous of the Cullen's cars.

'No such luck I'm afraid Bella' he said grinning, guessing that I didn't want to stand out. 'We gave it to Violet so you'll have to take another, how about your Ferrari?' he asked.

I groaned, I didn't like the idea of arriving at student dorms in such an overtly expensive looking car, even though it was black, which made it stand out less than Alice's yellow Porsche, it still drew a lot of attention.

'Fine' I huffed, but don't blame me if I get in an accident and you have to buy me a newer, less expensive car' I said, wiggling my eyebrows and he laughed, he knew I wouldn't harm the car; Rose would skin me alive if I did. To her, purposefully damaging the beauty of a car would be unforgivable. I got up, kissing Nessie and Edward goodbye and went out into the garage to get into the monstrosity of a vehicle.

I climbed into the car and heard the gentle purr as the car came to life, this part I didn't mind so much. I liked it when cars were quiet, though I did miss my old truck, I didn't miss the annoying noises it would make all the time. I pulled out of the garage and made my way to the main road, I knew easily how to make it to Seattle so I felt free to let my mind wander as I drove along. I didn't need to worry about crashing because my vampire reflexes allowed me to have perfect control as I drove fast whilst allowing me to think about other things. I was wondering if my dad was planning on making an honest woman out of Sue, my mom had remarried and he was happy with Sue so I figured it was about time he popped the question. Maybe I'd drop a not-so-subtle hint next time I saw him; he was never good at getting the meaning behind clues so it was useless being gentle about it. I laughed to myself as I reached the outskirts of Seattle, the idea of my dad getting married was funny. He hated dressing up and parties more than I did so I could imagine him insisting on getting married at the court house in his fishing gear. I doubted Alice would let that happen though, she'd probably truss him up like a Christmas turkey and create some lavish, over the top soirée for them.

I pulled into the University of Washington campus around midday, it was a Saturday so I didn't need to worry about Angela being in classes; they were probably just hanging out in the dorms. I hoped they weren't busy getting…intimate in there, I didn't like to think much about my friends having _relations_, I always thought that if I would imagine them having sex then they could image me and that just made me embarrassed. I parked in one of the visitor parking spaces and turned off the engine, climbing out the car I groaned at the already growing interest in my Ferrari. I'd have hoped that there wouldn't be that many people around because it was the weekend but there were still numerous students wandering around the campus, some of which were now staring openly at me and my car. I could hear a few of them speaking about me with my vampire hearing, I always tried to tune humans out because it always felt like eaves dropping but that was hard when they were talking about me.

'Check out the ride; that is one _sweet_ car' one frat guy told his friend, staring at the car.

'Forget about the car man, check out the girl. She's hot' his friend replied and I felt the urge to blush, even though I couldn't anymore. I just tried to ignore the glances from the guys; they never bothered me much, it was just typical male behaviour. It was always the girls that were hardest to ignore though.

'Who does she think she is driving that thing, and look at the way she's dressed, those _have_ to be fake!' some blonde girl sneered to her friends, glaring at me as I tried to ignore her, I didn't think my clothes were all that revealing to be honest, I was only wearing a simple sweater and jeans.

'Exactly, all the guys are drooling over her, I don't get it. I'm better looking than _her_, she better stay away from Johnny is all I'm saying. She looks like the slutty type' some bitchy red head responded and I couldn't help but laugh under my breath. Me, slutty? HA. I couldn't be a slut even if I tried.

I managed to make it into the main reception for the student accommodation when I realised something, I had no idea where Angela's room was, would they tell me if I asked, I could always try and dazzle the person behind the desk but I doubted I'd be any good at it; people seemed to give Edward anything he wanted when he flashed a smile but I usually made people laugh when I tried. I walked up to the front desk and waited for the guy watching TV to realise someone was waiting for him. He was twentyish, probably a student who worked for the college to get some extra money or credit or something, he looked very bored as he watched Jerry springer, his dishevelled blonde hair and crinkled shirt hinting that he had probably been up late last night at some frat party. He was relatively good looking, probably chosen for the job more for his pleasing appearance than his communication skills which were so far not good, seeing as he still hadn't noticed that I was standing there. I cleared my throat to get his attention and he turned around slowly, with his bored expression already in place for whoever dared to interrupt his relaxation.

'Can I help y…' he trailed off, paling as he looked up at me. That reaction was normal for people, their primal instincts always told them that something wasn't right when they met a vampire up close, but their rational mind wouldn't let them believe it.

'Yes' I answered sweetly, my bell like voice reverberating around the room, he seemed taken aback by the harmony in my voice and audibly gulped, looking me up and down again. I ignored the leer and continued, 'could you tell me where I can find a student, her name is Angela Weber' I asked him and he shook himself out of his daze.

'Uh…yes, I mean no erm well I'm not _supposed_ to' he began and I sighed, 'but I can probably make an exception for you' he smiled and leered at me some more. Obviously the initial reaction had passed and he had decided to try and hit on me. He began to type in something on the computer and seemed satisfied that he'd found the results.

'Now, what would I get in return?' he asked me grinning, 'I could take you out tonight if you like, there's a party in the dorms and it's gonna get wild. You could be my date' he asked me hopefully and I found myself thinking he was sweet, if you ignored the whole pervert aspect of him.

'Married sorry' I said as I wiggled my left hand at him, the diamond engagement ring and white gold wedding band glinting off the light in the room.

'Ah sucks, you must be my age though, that's kind of weird' he said raising an eyebrow.

'Well…when you know, you know right' I answered smiling, trying to turn on the dazzle so he'd tell me the room number anyway. 'So, can I have the room number anyway please, I promise I won't tell anyone you gave it to me' I smiled sweetly and saw that his answering smile was automatic and his eyes took a glazed over expression, a small trickle of blood pooled beneath his cheeks and I felt the dull burn answer, thank god I had good self-control, I had no idea how Edward was able to cope with all the blushing I did in my human days.

'O…of course' he stuttered and looked back at the screen. 'Angela Webber is in Smith hall, that's just to the right as you go outside, room 108 on the first floor' he answered and I could hear that his heart was beating a mile a minute. That would have caused me to want to drink his blood when I first became a vampire but I had been given some abnormal level of control so it only made me slightly thirsty now, I'd hunted in the early hours of this morning so I knew I'd be fine.

'Thanks' I grinned and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, just because I knew he needed something and I wasn't willing to go to some kegger with him as his date.

'Yo…you're welcome' he mumbled and looked away shyly as I turned around and left out the door, I glanced back too quickly for him to see and noticed that he was still gazing at where I had just been, holding his fingertips to the cheek I had kissed, like he was in some form of trance. Oh dear, I thought, maybe I'd over done the dazzle.

I entered into Smith hall and had to practically fight my way past all the hung over people talking in hallways, obviously they were all living the college life to the full. I had the occasional leer and the odd guy trying to ask me out but I was too busy counting room numbers and ignoring people to bother listening to them. I hated the smell, the whole place smelled like beer, vomit and…_vampire_, and not just any vampire…Vasilios, why had he been here? I began to panic, the scent was about a week old so I knew he wasn't here now but I still crept towards the end of the hallway where I could see the door to room 108.

'If you're looking for Angela, she's not here' some girl said when I'd reached the door and was listening in to see if anyone was inside, there didn't appear to be anyone in and my panic deepened.

'Where are Angela and Ben?' I practically snarled, vaguely registering that she was now scared of me. I didn't care though, I was focused on my worry for Angela, what had Vasilios done to her?

'Th…they haven't been in for like a week' she stuttered, 'they broke up like a month ago and she said something last week about meeting him downtown or something' she stuttered, clearly wanting to get away. I physically controlled myself and forced my face into a more friendly expression.

'Um would you know where about they would have met?' I asked, she seemed taken aback by my sudden change in mood but shook herself out of it, contemplating an answer.

'I think they would have met at this café Paloma near downtown' she said pensively, then nodded her head, 'yeah they would probably go there, that's where we usually go for lunch' she answered. It seemed that she was friends with Angela and I immediately felt bad for scaring her, though not that much because I was still worried.

'Have any people come by looking for her?' I asked; I needed to know if she had actually seen Vasilios.

'Not that I can recall, we've all been busy what with parties and exams and everything' she answered.

I thanked her for her help and got directions to the café, I'd be able to trace her scent from there and hopefully find her somewhere. I had no idea why Vasilios had turned up here but it couldn't be good. I felt the same fear and panic bubbling up into my system, creating a reddish haze in my vision as I thought of what to do; from the smell of it Vasilios had been inside the room, I needed to check.

I ignored the fact that I was drawing a lot of attention and kicked the door in, a little too easily for the people gathering in the hallway to think of as normal but I didn't care right now, I ignored the protests at my breaking and entering and entered Angela's room.

Everything was in bits and pieces, the chairs were over turned and the furniture smashed, her bed was almost ripped in two and there wasn't a single piece of glass that wasn't in pieces on the floor. I knew a vampire could easily have taken something without leaving a trace of evidence so the fact that this place was in such a mess was pretty obviously a message. A message for me that _said I have your friends, come and get me_. This was what I was worried about, not this situation exactly, but definitely some form of revenge from that creep. I whipped around to the nearest student who had wandered in behind me; they were all staring in shock and panic at the chaotic room.

'Give me your phone' I snapped at a mousy little girl near the doorway who gulped and passed me a small pink cell phone with shaking hands and wide eyes. I dialled the number from memory, being careful not to crush the phone in my haste and panic.

'Yes?' Edward's voice answered and I relayed to him everything in superfast speech, people were looking at me, wondering why I rang someone only to hang up a second later. They were unable to hear the exchange. Edward was on his way and we'd find Angela and Ben before it was too late, I'd make sure of that. I ran at human speed down the hallway, ignoring the muffled protests of the students and barely remembering to return the phone to the girl who had now run back into her room.

I got into my car angrily, I was supposed to meet them at the café and I was frustrated that they were able to run at vampire speed whilst I had to use human slowness as I peeled through Seattle towards where the girl had told me to go. _How did Alice not see this? _I thought to myself, as I entered the street I'd been told about and screeched to a stop outside the café, I didn't care if I got towed, there were more important things right now. I jogged into the café, even though I was moving fast for a human it was still agonisingly slow for a vampire.

'Hello, can I get you anything' a petite woman asked from behind the counter, seeming slightly shocked at my sudden appearance at the counter.

'Yes, could you tell me if you've seen this girl' I asked, pulling a small photograph out of my purse that showed me and Angela at graduation.

'Oh I think so, last Friday' she answered, tapping her chin, 'I remember because they were arguing and she stormed off'.

'Do you know which direction she went in?' I asked, she seemed taken aback, probably wondering how knowing which direction she took a whole week ago would help me find her now, little did she know that I had picked up her scent in her dorm room and now that I was here I could smell faint traces of her and Ben in the air.

'Um towards downtown I think, I can't be sure' she answered, shrugging. I thanked her quickly and dashed out the door, hearing her mumble about weird people as I exited the café. I paced around outside, waiting for Edward and Carlisle. I wanted to go off in search of her but I knew that it would be safer to have others with me, on the off chance that we ran into Vasilios; besides, I wasn't the best at tracking by scent. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt the familiar presence of Edward nearby, shortly before he and Carlisle appeared from an alleyway across the street and signalled me over.

'We picked up on their scent, Vasilios and his mate left a trail but it runs cold downtown' Edward said as I hugged him to me.

'Do you think they're still alive' I asked as I looked up into his eyes, hoping for some vague chance of their safety. I saw a flicker of sadness darken his eyes and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

'I'm sorry but…Vasilios and his mate aren't vegetarians, we can only assume that they targeted Angela and Ben because of their connection to the family' he sighed and I let out a whimper as he held me close to him. 'But we'll look anyway, there's always a chance…just be prepared for the worst case scenario love' he whispered into my hair and I nodded silently, trying to prevent the sobs that bubbled up my throat.

'How did Alice not see this?' I whispered, normally my sister in law was keeping tabs on everyone close to the family, just in case something happened to them. This was the type of thing she would have seen.

'It's his mate, Elena' Carlisle said and I looked over to him, 'Eleazar had met her before, a while ago, though he didn't know who she was or meet Vasilios he did mention that she had a gift, she can block someone from other people's gifts. Only a few at a time so he probably got her to stop Alice from seeing this, I'm guessing Caius told him of Alice's power' he explained and I groaned in frustration, if Elena was able to keep up blocking Alice then there would be no way of knowing when to expect another attack.

'We have to try though, there has to be a way to find them' I murmured and then almost hit myself for my stupidity. 'Oliver!' I almost yelled and he nodded, pulling out his phone.

'Okay I'll call him, he should be almost in Denali by now' Carlisle said, typing in a number. He briefly told Oliver the situation and waited patiently for Oliver to use his ability; I heard his voice drift over the line and crossed my fingers.

'I've found her, she's alone, scared. She's hiding in an abandoned warehouse in downtown Seattle…she's different though, she's…oh god!' I heard him gasp and I clutched onto Edward's hand.

'What is it, what's wrong' I called into the phone, wanting so much to cry but my vampire body wouldn't let me. The answer was too quiet and Carlisle's eyes widened before he hung up the phone. I looked to him for some answer but Edward replied for him.

'She's a vampire' he whispered.

**A/N: Cliff hanger…I know but I'm allowed one every now and again people. Let me know what y'all think.**


	21. Character descriptions not a chapter

**A/N: Not an actual chapter; I decided to give you a list of the new characters and describe them.**

**Character Biographies:**

**Eric Blake:**

Age: 22 human years, 87 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden

Hair: Raven Black, messy short-ish

Skin colour: Russet as human, paler caramel as vampire

Height: Just over six feet

Partner: Imprinted with Leah Clearwater

Personality: Fun loving and childish, likes to joke with others and mess with people like Emmett. Very loyal to those who have helped him and his sister (like Bella) and fiercely protective of his friends.

Ability: Able to physically manipulate his own and other's bodies, possibly due to the latent shifting genes from his human tribe. Used for healing, appearance changing and practical jokes, mostly on Emmett.

**Katlyn Blake:**

Age: 19 human years, 87 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden

Hair: Raven black, long and waving

Skin colour: Russet as human, paler caramel as vampire

Height: 5'6''

Partner: Thomas

Personality: Sweet and fun loving, likes to shop and therefore instantly bonded with Alice and Rose.

**Thomas**:

Age: 21 human years, 105 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden

Hair: Chestnut brown, slightly wavey that he keeps tied up at the nape of his neck (Bella refers to him as a handsome pirate.

Skin colour: Pale

Height: 6'1''

Partner: Katlyn Blake- soul mate

Personality: Caring and funny, hates to see others in emotional pain and feels drawn to those with strong love and compassion like the Cullens.

Ability: The gift to sense the deepest emotions and true intentions of a person, also able to heal emotional pain. Similar to Jasper's power but more focused on the subconscious and more deeply ingrained emotions of the heart.

**Oliver:**

Age: 25 human years, 72 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden

Hair: Blonde, slightly dishevelled and mid length

Skin Colour: Pale

Height: 6'2''

Partner: Tanya-soul mate

Personality: Kind, quiet and not at all cruel like other trackers have proven to be. He cares about his friends and feels a strong need to protect those he loves.

Ability: Tracker- more potent than either James or Demetri was, able to track a person based on only a physical description and can then see his target, where they are, where they are planning to go and what they are doing in his mind.

**Anthony:**

Age: 34 human years, 75 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden

Hair: Short, blackish brown

Skin colour: Dark with a slight glow

Height: 6'4''

Partner: Paige-soul mate

Personality: Bella describes him as handsome and somewhat intimidating but with a humorous glint in his eye and a sweet nature, sometimes immature but protective of Rose, who is a surrogate daughter to him. Plays piano and loves Jazz, and cars; taught Rose everything he knew about mechanics.

**Paige:**

Age: 20 human years, 84 vampire years

Eye colour: Golden (but when using her power they take on a fiery orange glow)

Hair: Vivid red, long and wavey

Skin colour: Pale

Height: 5'5''

Partner: Anthony- soul mate

Personality: Slightly shy but able to open up once she gets to know the person, years of being hunted by the Volturi for her gift had made her unwilling to form connections, especially when any possible friends would discover her gift and either fear her or get hurt by the Volturi. She is sweet and funny with a good sense of humour.

Ability: She can control fire, coating her arms in crimson like flames and forming spheres of fiery energy to throw at enemies. Her fire is unique in its ability to completely destroy whatever it touches, deeming it unable to be repaired. She can control the strength though so she does not end up hurting people when she practices.

**Violet**:

Age: 26 human years, 42 vampire years

Eye colour: Bronze, in the process of becoming golden due to changing to the 'vegetarian' diet.

Hair: Silver blonde and shoulder length

Skin colour: Pale

Height: 5'4''

Personality: Motherly and shy, impassioned when the time calls for it. She's a good cook and calm, used to be a chef in her human life and recently given up the nomadic lifestyle in exchange for one that allows her to be close to the Cullens.

**Nelle:**

Age: 80 hybrid years

Eye colour: Stormy grey

Hair: long and midnight black, blue highlights in the sun

Skin colour: Alabaster with slightly pink cheeks

Height: 6'0''

Partner: Seth Clearwater-imprinted pair

Personality: funny and slightly childish, sweet and caring.

Ability: Able to turn herself completely invisible, causing her heartbeat, breathing, body warmth, scent and even her mental voice unable to be sensed, completely physical because it works despite Bella's shield; not good for attacking but very good protection.

**Maddy Cullen:**

Daughter of Alice and Jasper Cullen.

Species: Vampire but able to grow due to the way she was conceived and not turned and grows to maturity in 3 years. Eric's ability allowed for Alice to conceive a child.

Age: a couple of weeks but with the physical appearance of a toddler.

Eye colour: Deep brown, like Bellas were except with swirls of amber.

Hair: Dark brown and slightly curly with flickers of honey in the light.

Skin colour: Pale

Personality: Fun loving and girly, loves to tease her father Jasper and very intelligent.

Ability: Teleportation, causes a swarm of golden lights to surround her body and transport her instantly through space to her target; able to visualise a single person and teleport to them.

**Elsebeth (Elsie) Cullen:**

Daughter of Rosalie and Emmett Cullen and fraternal twin sister of Zachary.

Species: Vampire but able to grow due to the way she was conceived and not turned and grows to maturity in 3 years. Eric's ability allowed for Rose to conceive children.

Age: About 3 weeks but with the physical appearance of a toddler.

Eye colour: Violet (same as Rosalie's when she was human)

Hair: Light blonde that consists of many different shades of gold.

Skin colour: pale with dimples like her fathers

Personality: Funny, girly sometimes as far as clothes goes but also a tomboy in the respect of her love for wrestling and playing with her father.

Ability: Mechanical intuition; she is able to instantly see how any given object is constructed and how it works, allowing her to take apart, rebuild and create whole new inventions almost instantaneously, giving her a genius level of technical ability; even more so than the average vampire.

**Zachary (Zack) Cullen:**

Son of Rosalie and Emmett Cullen and fraternal twin brother of Elsebeth.

Species: Vampire but able to grow due to the way he was conceived and not turned and grows to maturity in 3 years. Eric's ability allowed for Rose to conceive children.

Age: About 3 weeks but with the physical appearance of a toddler.

Eye colour: Blue eyes made up of light blue with a deeper blue rimming the outer iris.

Hair: Dark brown and slightly curly like Emmett's

Skin colour: Pale

Personality: Quiet and sweet, loves books and learning; very fond of his grandfather Carlisle.


	22. Angela

**A/N: I know that this is **_**technically**_** chapter 21 but my character bio is listed on here as a chapter so I figured it would make more sense to just pretend that this is chapter 22 so that it fits with the listed number. I was going to wait longer before posting this chapter but I felt guilty for leaving on a cliff hanger, I know I'm practically ripping my hair out when I have to wait a whole week to see what happens next in a story I'm following. Enjoy.**

Chapter 22: Bella's POV

'What? What do you mean vampire?' I whispered, aware that we were getting a few curious glances from some of the humans in the café across the street before we ran human slow towards my Ferrari on the sidewalk.

'I mean what I said' Edward answered, gripping my hand. 'I don't know how, maybe Vasilios did it, but right now she's in a warehouse downtown. She's scared and she's a newborn. That's not a good combination if a human happens to walk by' he rushed as we all climbed into my car, they hadn't brought one because they ran but we needn't to keep up the pretence of being human even though every fibre of my body was telling me to run as fast as I could to Angela. I was glad Carlisle was with us, he was a very calming influence and I knew that whatever state we found her in she needed to feel safe when we approached her.

'Is she alone though, that bastard isn't still there is he? What about Ben?' I asked as Edward pulled out and sped onto the main road.

'She's alone according to Oliver. I don't know where Ben is though, judging by the age of their scents I think Vasilios has run off somewhere. We'll find him, trust me on that, but the first priority is Angela' Carlisle answered and I nodded, as much as I wanted to tear Vasilios and his mate apart, I had to agree that getting to Angela was most important.

We sped through the city; Edward was able to avoid getting caught by cops by slowing down whenever he sensed them near. After about ten minutes of truly outrageous driving we arrived in the old warehouse district. Everything was so desolate here, boards covered almost ever broken window and door and the only people I could see around were pushing carts and sitting in boxes. I would hate to be stuck here on the best of days, let alone if I was feeling scared and dealing with being a newborn vampire like Angela apparently was.

Carlisle, Edward and I stepped out of the car in an ally way, likeliness was that it would get broken into or stolen but I really couldn't care less, I was too busy trying to locate Angela. I could smell her human scent, Ben's too as well as the faint hint of Vasilios and his mate Elena; their scents were mixed in amongst the putrid stench of decay and garbage that had settled in this area of the city and I had to control myself to block out the smells as I tried to isolate Angela's.

We walked quietly towards the warehouse that Oliver had seen her in, being careful not to make too much noise as to not startle her; my stomach twisted when I realised that I could smell blood in the air also, it smelt like Ben and a cold shiver accompanied a dull burning in my throat as bile rose and made the thirst even more uncomfortable. Right now I was flickering in between dread, anxiety and temptation as I tried to block the scent of blood from my mind. I could only imagine what that distinct coppery smell meant; he was probably dead, in all likelihood Vasilios had killed him, but for what motive? I couldn't tell. It didn't matter why though; I was going to kill him for what he had done.

We entered in a back door that had been left ajar, I could hear now the faint whimpering from inside. It had been blocked out by the sounds of car alarms and sirens that filtered through the neighbourhood but now that we were approaching where Angela was supposed to be I could feel her presence. The scent of blood now was becoming even stronger and I could also smell the stench of death permeating the air, I wouldn't let it affect me though, my entire focus was on my friend. We made our way quietly through the large room, towards a huddled shape in the dark corner that was barely visible even to my eyes; occasional rays of grey light would struggle through the cracks in the boarded up window, briefly illuminating her as she sat hunched into herself, shaking with silent sobs.

'Angela, it's me, Bella. You're safe now, we won't hurt you' I spoke softly towards the shadows at the back of the room where I could hear her tearless sobbing; I crept forward, keeping my movements painfully slow as I made my way towards her, not wanting to upset or startle her.

'Stay away Bella, I don't want to hurt you' she hissed and I recoiled at the almost unrecognisable voice, 'I'm a monster' she sobbed into her drawn up knees as I crept even closer, now only about a foot in front of her.

'Shhh, no you're not Angela. You're a vampire and that doesn't make you a monster, even if you feel like you can't control yourself' I whispered, crouching down to her level. I could see now why she was so distraught, not that being kidnapped and turned against your will was ever easy going, but now that I was closer, the source of the smell was evident. About fifteen yards away from Angela's shaking body was the lifeless form of Ben, judging from the marks on his throat, she had fed from him in a burst of uncontrollable blood lust. She must be in so much pain, having killed him. But I knew that it wasn't her fault, Vasilios knew what would have happened if he left a human in the room with a newly turned vampire. He had probably planned on the inevitable, creating some sick game in which to drag her into.

'I killed him Bells, I c…couldn't stop myself, what's wrong with me?' she whispered, finally looking up with bright crimson eyes and I had to control myself not to flinch at the previously soft and caring face of my friend which was now wrought with pain.

'I know Ang, you didn't have any control. It's not your fault, no one would have been able to stop themselves' I said, placing my hands on her shoulders and looking into her pale face.

'Yo…you're one too, but…different. Those other two, they were evil…I tried to fight them but…' she trailed off, staring intently at my face as she tried to grasp the realisation of what was happening.

'They're going to pay for what they did Angela' Edward growled, crouching down beside me, 'trust me, we _will_ get them, but you come first. You're coming back to Forks with us okay' he said softly.

'I can't, I don't want to hurt anyone… I'm safer here' she whispered and I felt the red haze of anger flicker to life over my vision. The pain on her face was all because of Vasilios, I wanted to rip him apart for ever laying a finger on her.

'That's not true Angela' Carlisle spoke from behind us, 'if you stay here, you will eventually get hungry, and when that happens you could end up hurting someone. If you come back with us we can help you control your thirst, you need never hurt anyone else and you wouldn't need to damn yourself to living life in an abandoned warehouse.'

'Dr. Cullen? You as well, but…how? I always figured you lot were strange but your eyes…' she said, trying to piece together what she knew of us with what she knew of vampires, and so far her knowledge of vampires was based on scum like Vasilios and Elena.

'We'll explain this all later but right now we need to get you home and keep you safe, teach you to control your hunger' he said and shared a look with Edward who nodded ever so slightly.

'What about Ben?' she whispered, looking at the body, 'I…killed him' she wailed and held on to me as I stroked her hair.

'I told you, it's not your fault. You're a newborn, you couldn't have stopped yourself. The man who did this to you is to blame' I said.

'But why did he do this, and why did he put Ben in here if he knew…' she implored me.

'He did it because he is an evil bastard, a sick and sad excuse for a person and he knew you wouldn't have the control to stop yourself Angela, this is all _him'_ I hissed as she shook in my arms.

'I want him to pay, I want him to burn for what he's done' she growled and got to her feet, no longer as sorry for herself. Though I knew she still blamed herself for Ben's death, she'd heal in time.

'Come on, let's go' I said, hugging her to my side and she nodded quietly as we left the warehouse.

'What about his body?' she whispered, looking back over her shoulder and clutching onto me.

'I've phoned the police' Edward answered, 'they'll come and find the body so that his family knows what has happened. Carlisle will have to come up with some story about where you are'.

'Oh' she mouthed, turning back to me and I gave her a sad smile, she was a long way from forgiving herself but I hoped she would. I couldn't stand to think of the emotional anguish that she was going through right now. I didn't know what the police would think, probably a mugging gone wrong or something. I figured Carlisle would tell people that she was in isolated hospital care whilst she recovered so that her family wouldn't get too suspicious, though I knew they would probably insist on seeing her, but we'd cross that bridge when we came to it.

We got back to the car with only the occasional glance from a couple of the vagrants, I kept a death grip on Angela just in case, but she seemed remarkably resistant to their scents and had her eyes closed as if waiting for us to be home already. I climbed into the back seat of the Ferrari, keeping a firm hold on Angela as we drove out of the broken down neighbourhood and back into the cleaner areas of Seattle. The journey was treacherously long and unending, but eventually we found our way onto the weaving roads that lead to Forks as we were entered into the familiar tree lined road that marked the return to home and the Cullen house. I gazed out of the window as the trees shot by, slowing down as we approached the turning to the long winding drive that cut through the forest to our house.

'Okay we're back now' I said as Edward pulled the car into the garage and I went to open the door, her hand shot out to grab mine and she sat there a minute, transfixed at her hand, obviously not accustomed to her new found speed. She shook herself out of it and looked at me anxiously.

'Are you sure it'll be safe for me to be here?' she whispered, probably not realising that pretty much everyone in the house could probably hear her. 'I don't want to…hurt anyone else' she whimpered and I barely controlled my own anger as I saw the emotions dancing in her crimson eyes, they flickered between grief, sorrow, guilt, pain, anxiety and rage as she battled her own emotions; I didn't need Jasper or Edward to tell me that the total amount she was feeling right now would cause a human to die from the sheer pain of it all.

'Don't worry, you won't hurt anyone, but if it makes you feel better we can have as little people in the room as possible' I asked and she nodded her head shakily.

'We can go up into my office, I'll have Jasper meet us in there so he can help her control her emotions' Carlisle said and I nodded.

'Control my emotions? What do you mean?' Angela asked as we escorted her into the house, her body looked so frail as she shrunk into my side; despite her height she looked like a frightened child and I felt unbelievable protective of her right then as we walked through the empty living room towards the stairs. Everyone was probably keeping themselves out of sight as to not overwhelm her, I figured that Jacob had probably taken Nessie down to LaPush just to be safe, he always got over protective with Nessie and newborn vampires and though I loved Angela, I wouldn't forgive myself if I put my daughter in harm's way.

'That's his power, he can sense and control emotions' I explained softly and she just nodded, obviously she wasn't going to question too much right now, her head must be too confused to take all of this in. We made it into Carlisle's office and he sat down in his usual seat by the desk while Edward and I sat with Angela on the couch, a minute later the door opened and Jasper came in with Thomas, I wasn't sure why he had brought Thomas with him but I assumed there was a reason. The look on Jasper's face was a mirror of Angela's pain, of course he was feeling all of her emotions and I could only imagine how much turmoil he was going through, and that was only from getting them second hand, Angela must be feeling worse than I thought.

'Angela you know Jasper and this is Thomas, he won't hurt you' Carlisle explained and shot a questioning look at Thomas, probably also wondering why he also felt the need to be here. Edward quickly nodded to Carlisle, obviously he'd read something in Thomas' mind that hinted towards his presence.

'Now Angela, I know it may be hard but, could you tell us what happened to you?' Carlisle asked softly and I felt the wave of calm from Jasper take a hold of her and she visibly relaxed a little, looking over at Jasper quickly, acknowledging that she'd figured out the reason behind her slightly lessened panic.

'Okay…' she said, taking a deep breath and clasping my hand, 'last week, I think, me and…Ben…were in the cafe, we broke up la…last month' she sighed and I gave her a small smile of encouragement, 'I can't remember much but we got into an argument, I think he wanted to get back together or something…I'm not sure. I was stupid…I stormed off and didn't pay attention to where I was going, he followed me and when I calmed down I realised we must have been lost or something. We heard a laugh, it was so…cold and strange but we couldn't see where it came from because the alley way was in shadow' she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut at the memory.

'When they stepped out we saw two people. So pale and…and horrid looking with red eyes, we knew immediately we were in danger but the man and woman seemed to like toying with us. I had a feeling that they would have been able to kill us in a second but they were just dragging it out, until eventually they did get us and the next thing I knew, everything went black. I remember waking up in that disgusting warehouse, I was chained up and Ben was still unconscious but I could see him breathing. I saw the same two people standing there, looking down at me and I tried to get away but I couldn't, he bit me and the pain…it was agonising.' She whispered and we all knew what she had felt, at least I had experienced the luxury of being on a bed and having Edward by my side, Angela had been chained up and forced to feel it in a dank and horrid room witnessed by a couple of sick and sadistic monsters. I closed my eyes to dull the anger that was rising up inside me and felt a wave of calm, this time directed at me and I smiled slightly at Jasper, looking back to Angela as she continued her story.

'It felt like forever I was in pain, I felt like I was burning from the inside out and I my screams just made it feel worse if it was even possible. It faded though, eventually, and then everything was so clear. I could hear everything around me; I could hear Ben the loudest as I came around. He was screaming at them to stop whatever they had done to me but they were just laughing, they never stopped laughing. I could even hear the blood in his veins and his pulse as if it were my own, it made my throat burn but I didn't give in as I sat there, no longer chained' she took in a shaky and unnecessary breath and leant into me more before she began speaking again.

'Vasilios, that was his name, told me I was a _monster_ and that I would _pay for what the Cullen's did_. I didn't know how he knew you or why he was so angry but he was enraged. He told me that I had to drink blood. I told him I didn't want to but he pushed Ben towards me and told me to drink, I refused over and over again even though the pain in my throat made me want to rip him open more than anything. But still, I refused to do it. This seemed to make him angry and he screamed at me, he took a knife and…cut him, he cut Ben's throat like he was nothing and threw him at me. I couldn't stop myself, the only thought in my mind was the thirst and I had to drink. But I killed him, I killed Ben and even after, when Vasilios left me with Ben's body I just stayed there, I couldn't even consider what I had done…he was right, I am a monster' she cried and buried her face in her palms, shaking violently with tearless sobs.

'Angela!' Carlisle yelled, and we were all taken aback by his tone, 'You. Did. Not. Kill. Ben!' he said emphasizing each word and she turned to look at him. 'Ben was as good as dead the minute Vasilios took you both, can't you see. He was planning on turning you and the only reason why he kept Ben alive was to torture you by making you drink from him, you said yourself that he cut Ben's throat. Do you really think he would have survived that? Even if you hadn't of drank his blood, he would have still died Angela' Carlisle said, finishing on a whisper. The sadistic game that Vasilios had played, just because Angela and Ben had known us, sickened us all down to our core. We had to get him after this.

'He's right Angela, you can't blame yourself for what that bastard put you through' I murmured into her hair as she sobbed quietly.

'I can feel your heartbreak Angela, that's what drew me to you when you arrived' Thomas said and I looked over at him curiously as he placed himself closer to her. 'I don't know why it's making me feel the need to help you; I've seen broken souls many times and never felt that I was able to mend them before. Maybe it's because I can see how pure your soul once was, or perhaps it's because of the connection you have to Bella, I'm not sure but I want to try something if you'll let me?' he asked, looking from Carlisle to Angela who seemed to be as confused as I was.

'I'm willing to try anything' she sobbed, 'it's hurts so much, it's like I can feel Jasper trying to make me happier, but the darkness won't let it happen' she whispered.

I looked to Jasper who nodded his head sadly. I thought he was making her calm, but if even his powerful gift couldn't lessen her sadness then I didn't know what would. Thomas crouched down in front of Angela, taking one of her hands whilst I held the other. I watched as he closed his eyes, using his gift to feel her essence as he and described it and wondered what he was trying to do. I thought that nothing would happen but then a soft glow started in this hand, I could feel the warmth myself and it felt as if the shining resonated in my own heart. If I could feel it then I had no idea how powerful it must have felt for Angela, I watched as the light seemed to travel through her arm and into her chest. The anguish that was shining in her eyes began to fade away until her sobs turned quieter and the faintest of smiles touched her lips. She blinked and looked up at him, her body no longer shaking in emotional agony as she threw her arms around his neck.

'Thank you' she whispered and let go of him; he smiled back at her and went to stand over by the wall again.

'Can someone explain what just happened?' I asked, ecstatic that her sadness had left but none the less confused as to just how on earth it had happened.

'I think we just witnessed Thomas' power grow' Edward said thoughtfully, looking over at Thomas and then to Angela. 'From what I saw in their minds, he took his power to feel the inner workings of the soul or in Angela's case, the pain and confusion she was feeling, and…how do I put this, healed it so to speak'.

'Angela?' I asked her and she smiled a little.

'It's true; the guilt for Ben, all the pain is…not _gone_ so much…just lessened enough so that I don't blame myself anymore. I still feel grief for him, but it's almost like he fast forwarded it so that I skipped over the years of emotional torment that people usually go through to get to the same acceptance. I'm not happy, just…at peace. Does that make sense?' she asked, raising her eyebrow and she looked a little like the old Angela.

'I suppose it does. It's not so much a miracle, more like a therapy for the soul. So you essentially got her to a place that would usually take years of counselling to achieve?' Carlisle asked Thomas who shrugged and nodded.

'I think that's what I did, I was kind of winging it' he grinned and I chuckled at his ever present nonchalance. I was about to say something when Nahuel burst into the room, I had no idea why he felt the need to barge in but the look in his eyes was strange. Kind of dazed and happy at the same time yet worried about something.

'What's wrong Nahuel?' Carlisle asked, frowning at him in confusion.

'Is she okay?' he gasped, gazing at Angela who smiled back at him, 'I felt so much pain but it's less now…wait what's happening?' he asked confused, still keeping his eyes locked onto Angela's.

'You…felt my pain?' Angela asked, looking as if she wished she could sink into the sofa. Nahuel just bit his lip nervously, a small blush spreading beneath his dark skin as he shuffled his feet.

'Well I dunno, not _felt…_just kind of knew someone was upset, I must of heard you lot talking and sympathised…I uhh, have to go, Nelle wants me to go down to LaPush with her so…sorry, bye!' he rushed before disappearing out of the door again, I looked between us all and saw the same confused and dubious expressions mirroring my own. I had a feeling that Nahuel's sudden outburst was more a case of the first stages of a vampire finding their mate but I didn't want to push it; I would be outrageously happy if Angela could find love again, but right now she needed to focus more on herself.

I looked down at her, still gazing at the empty space where Nahuel had been with a bewildered look on her face, her eyes were still swimming in emotions, but they were less than before. The guilt was gone entirely though, replaced by acceptance, sorrow, anger and resolve. I had a feeling I knew who the anger was against…Vasilios. And I knew that the resolve would mirror my own; we both knew that we would do whatever it took to take him down and I would be only too happy to watch as he was ripped…limb from limb for what he had done.

He would pay.

**A/N: Just thought I'd clarify; Vasilios' mate Elena's gift is to block someone from using their power on someone else, not like a shield, more like she can will the ability to not work on her target. For example she is stopping Oliver from being able to track her and Vasilios and also stopping Alice from seeing any of their decisions. She can only do it for a few gifts at a time though, so if she were to be physically attacked by another gift then she would have to stop preventing Alice and Oliver's abilities and focus on the attacker instead. I hope that clears it up, it's a bit confusing to me and I wrote the bloody thing. Anyway, that was chapter 22 (kind of 21).**

** Sooo…what d'ya think cats and kittens? Review please :D**


	23. Happy Hunting

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: Here we go ladies and gents, next chapter. Hope you like it :D Just some clarification on Thomas' power; because of his ability to sense the really deep and often hidden feelings people have, he is now able to ease emotional pain. Basically, if he had been around when Bella went all zombie in New Moon, she probably would have been a lot less…crazy? Anyway, that's what he did with Angela, he took all the grief and guilt etc that was overwhelming her and eased it to the point where she forgave herself (how else do you think she'll be able to notice Nahuel? Also she needs some happiness and she was hurt a lot).**

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><p>Chapter 23: Angela's POV<p>

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><p>I was thirsty.<p>

I'd been warned about this by Carlisle, but I hadn't expected it to be so bad. My throat was burning with a fiery need that all the water in the world couldn't lessen, the only thing that I could do was drink blood. I didn't want to ever touch human blood again though, not after Ben. I knew it wasn't my fault, Bella's words and Thomas' strange magical form of therapy had helped me come to terms with that. But the idea that I could maybe one day take the life of someone for something as trivial as thirst was sickening to me. But there was another way, he told me about how the Cullens had always drank animal blood instead. He also mentioned that this would make me less cruel like Vasilios had been and for that I was grateful.

I was going to go hunting apparently, not for people but for animals. It sounded weird but I supposed it would be something that I'd get used to. I had kind of assumed that they kept bags of animal blood around; I had a hard time trying to picture the elegant Cullens attacking animals. But it was something that needed to be done and I was glad I wouldn't be on my own for the first time.

'You ready for some fun?' Bella asked, grinning and I smiled back hesitantly. If Bella enjoyed hunting then surely I wouldn't find it too weird would I?

'What about everyone else?' I asked, I knew there were others in the house, I could hear them moving around now.

'Well Edward reckons it'd be best to try and quench your first so that you don't get too stressed if you get crowded by them. Trust me, meeting all of them as vampires is going to be insane and Alice _will_ try and dress you up' she laughed and I joined her, I'd have a hard time associating the stereotypical dangerous and brooding vampire with the lively Alice and her fashion obsession.

'Okay then let's go. What'll we be hunting?' I asked and she shrugged.

'Oh there are a few herds around; it's past spring now so they're more plentiful. A couple of elk, one or two mountain lions should be traipsing around somewhere…' Edward said, coming to join us.

'Oooh mountain lion, my favourite' Bella laughed and I gave her a surprised look.

'What?' she huffed, 'it was my first meal so to speak, as a vampire. Plus they're carnivores so the taste a lot better, trust me' she grinned and I nodded swallowing. Mountain lions were huge and we were able to take one down? Just how strong were we?

'Very strong, right now you could easily take down a mountain lion like it was a fly. You're a bit stronger because you're a new born, but it'll fade after about a year. The eyes will turn golden too, if you stick to animal blood' Edward answered; I doubted I'd ever get used to his mind reading, though he had always been able to read it so I shouldn't feel too bad.

I was glad to hear about the eyes though, they had given me a mirror to show me how I different I looked. My skin was now perfect and pale, just like the rest of the Cullens, and I looked very beautiful. The eyes though…they had scared me, a crimson that had made me afraid I'd be forever stuck with them, but now that I knew they'd go away I was less worried.

We headed out and crossed the river, Edward and Bella leapt over so gracefully that I doubted I'd be able to do it with such ease. But when I took my leap, I felt the unbelievable strength surging through my muscles and I could see every particle as I flew through the air, landing daintily on the other side as if leaping over a hundred yards in a single bound were the most natural thing in the world. I felt exhilarated, grinning at Bella as we ran at magnificent speeds through the forest, every single leaf was clear to me as my eyes took in what should have been a blur at the velocity we were travelling. My laughter rang out around me as we ran for what felt like hours but must have only been a few seconds, Edward signalled for us to come to a stop and I slid to a halt beside Bella.

'Okay Angela, I'm gonna need you to close your eyes' he asked and I looked at Bella questioningly.

'He did it to me as well, just do what he says or you'll never hear the end of it' she smiled and Edward raised an eyebrow at her. I shrugged and closed my eyes but was still able to feel everything around me.

'Now I want you to use your other senses, to tell me what you can pick up on around us' he asked and I nodded my head, focusing on my other sharp senses.

I could hear…everything. From the beetles scuttling on the forest floor to the quiet rustle of leaves hundreds of yards away that should have been impossible to pick up on, everything was crystal clear. The scents also, were so vibrant. I could smell the floral scent of Bella and the honey tinted aroma from Edward. But also, I could smell the life around me, everything from the left over morning dew that coated the undergrowth and the bark of the trees to the faint smell of something…slightly appetising but I wasn't sure. It smelt like something I should crave but different, with a coppery hint. Blood? I remembered with a shudder the smell of Ben's blood and knew it wasn't human, must be an animal, small though. I could pair it with a faint and rapid heartbeat…rabbit perhaps.

I widened my senses and took in other things, little things like the wind moving from east through the tops of trees drifted into the background of my conscience as I searched for other sounds, I guessed what Edward wanted me to do. I figured he was trying to get me to isolate any animals for us to hunt so I focused my search on larger animals. I tasted the air around me and felt the wash of another warm and musky scent roll over my tongue, this one was quite appetising and I could hear a large thudding heart and the crack of twigs. Whatever it was, it was a large animal and I almost jumped when I heard a growl and a grunt. It sounded like a…bear? Would I be able to take down one of those? I sort of wanted to test myself and it smelt very good indeed. I shrugged and kept feeling my surroundings. Over to the west, I could hear a group of heartbeats, probably some small herd of animals. The scent wasn't that appetising compared to the bears so I understood now what Bella was talking about when she said that carnivores tasted better. Were bears carnivores? I thought so, it smelt meatier compared to the herd of whatever it was I had smelt; they weren't anywhere near as mouth-watering as the bear had been and I felt my throat burn in response to the memory of the its scent.

'I hear and smell a lot' I answered, 'a herd of something to the west but they don't smell too good, I like the smell of the bear I smelt about half a mile away though…' I said to Edward who chuckled under his breath.

'I think we may have another Emmett on our hands Bella' he sighed and she laughed, 'he likes to hunt bears as well' he explained and I saw a mental picture of the burly Emmett wrestling with a bear, it sort of fit his personality I thought.

'The herd are deer and yes they're not nearly as tasty as a bear but they're more convenient. Don't think they'll be enough to satisfy your hunger though so you could try for the bear if you like' he said looking at me and I thought about it, judging on the smell I'd say the bear because the deer just weren't doing it for me. Would I really be strong enough though?

'Oh you'll be strong enough, even if it manages to get a couple of swipes with its claws or even bite you it won't really be able to penetrate your skin. Another perk of being a vampire, besides, once we get into the mind set of hunting our instincts usually take over, you'll see. Bella and I will be watching though, just in case' he said and I bit my lip, what was I supposed to do to get into the hunting mind set I wondered.

'Just close your eyes and focus on the scent you're after, let your instincts take over. Hunting is natural to us' he said and I did as instructed. I closed my eyes again and searched for the same scent I had found before, it only took a second to find the familiar thudding of the heart and the quiet grunts of the animal I had sensed before. I focused on the almost metallic scent of the bear and it felt like it was swarming around me until all I could focus on was the intoxicating aroma. I was aware of my surroundings but only in a distant way, I was more intent on my prey than anything else as I moved silently towards my target, the scent strengthening with each step I took. I had opened my eyes again at some point, having found my prey; I came to a small clearing next to a rocky outcrop, in the middle of which was a colossal black bear, pawing at the ground and grunting. It hadn't noticed me yet as I waited for a good opening.

I crouched low, ready to spring and felt a small twig snap beneath my foot. The bear snapped his head up and stared at me, his lips curling back into a growl as he raised himself on his hind legs, backing up slightly. He was ready to fight, but I wasn't that interested in sport, the fire in my throat telling me that I needed to feed and not play. I pounced at him, aiming for his enormous throat as I flew through the air and landed on him, quickly scrabbling up onto his back. I barely felt as his giant claws swiped at me and his angry growls would have been deafening if it were not for the hypnotic sound of his pulse that over powered all other noise. I gripped into his fur, getting a tight hold and making sure that I was out of reach for him and leant forward towards his neck, the thudding become louder and louder as it increased the burn in my throat. Within a moment I had found the right spot and bit down with my teeth, the warm and delicious liquid flowing into my mouth as I drank in every drop.

When I was done it felt like I was coming out of a daze, the ambient noises that were so quiet when I was hunting now returned in full force and I took a minute to look down at the bear. It had been quick, I could tell, and he now looked peaceful. Barely a hint of that had happened. I wish I could have said the same for myself though, the tee shirt and jeans that Bella had leant me were shredded and covered in dirt, and there were a few traces of blood on them. My body was fine though, miraculously unharmed despite having just fought a bear…I had just killed it with my bare hands I thought, amazed. It was astounding to believe I could have been capable of doing something and with such apparent ease; this vampire strength was nothing to be sniffed at.

'Now wasn't that fun?' Bella laughed as her and Edward came into the clearing.

'It was kind of really, I thought I would feel guilty, but if it's this or humans, I prefer this. I aimed to take it down as quick as I could, you don't think it felt pain did you?' I asked them, worried now, I had never liked cruelty to animals when I was…human. Wow, I really wasn't human anymore, I was still getting used to thinking of myself as a vampire.

'No he wouldn't of felt much, perhaps a bit of a sting from the bite but nothing more than that' Edward said, 'you made a bit of a mess of your outfit though' he grinned and I felt like blushing, though I found myself unable.

'I'm sorry Bells, these are yours and I've ruined them' I apologised.

'Oh don't worry, I've got plenty of clothes, besides, you should have seen what I did to my outfit on my first hunt. At least you're still decent, I was practically naked' she said chuckling.

I laughed with her and brushed off my clothes a bit. I was still slightly thirsty and they hadn't hunted yet so we ran off to where the deer were earlier. I didn't like their taste as much but I could see myself getting used to it. Once we were finished we followed our scent trail back to the house, it was surprisingly easy to navigate by scent alone and I found I was able distinguish each of our own scents and use that to follow our path back towards the Cullen house. We arrived only a few minutes later, leaping over the river again and making our way through the trees, slowing down when we approached the house.

People were waiting outside, I recognised Esme, Carlisle's wife, as well as Alice, Rose and Emmett from school. Carlisle and Jasper were also there with some other people I had never seen before; all but one appeared to be vampires. The one who stood out as human was a tall and slightly exotic looking girl who looked a lot like the people from LaPush, was she from the reservation? She stood in the arms of a vampire, his skin similar but with a more ethereal glow to it, with dark hair and golden eyes. There was also another vampire who looked like she could be his sister, slightly shorter with the same colouring; she was holding hands with Thomas as he beamed at me. The one that stood out the most though was the man leaning against the front door, I recognised him from earlier but my mind had been all over the place so I hadn't really had time to really appreciate his looks.

He was…beautiful. There was no other way to describe him. He had long dark hair and dark skin that looked unbelievable smooth and perfect, I found myself unable for a moment to look at anyone else. I felt drawn into him warm teak eyes, as if I would be able to see my soul inside of their depths. I felt confused about my sudden desire for stranger, and could see in his slightly stunned stare that he too was conflicted. I was still grieving slightly for Ben, was it normal for me to feel this way? I shook my head to clear it but it was still there, my attraction for him was tangible and I could still feel a pull towards him.

I tore my gaze away from his probing eyes and focused on something else odd; he was a vampire but…not. Was that heartbeat? I hadn't been focused enough to notice it before; it was fast and fluttery so I couldn't be sure but as his heady scent came towards me I could smell the trace of human, I was ready to hold my breath in an instant like Bella had told me to when faced with a human, but then the scent changed a bit and I could now detect vampire, what was this man? I didn't want to drink him which was good; I did want to jump his bones though…which was bad.

'Hello Angela, I don't know if you remember but I'm Esme' Esme's voice broke into my reverie and I came back to reality with a jolt, Edward had noticed my line of thought and glanced from me to the gorgeous man discreetly. God only knew what he thought of me, Ben had barely been gone a week and here I was fantasising about some stranger. I must be a horrible person.

'No you're not, trust me. What you're feeling is normal, I'll explain more later' he murmured so that only Bella and I could hear, she looked at him questioningly but he just shook his head infinitesimally.

'I remember you Esme… Rose, Emmett and Alice as well. Jasper and Carlisle too but they were in the room earlier so it'd be a bit weird if I didn't' I said and smiled, putting aside my uncomfortable thoughts, I'd dwell on them later.

'We thought we'd come out and meet you, easier to introduce you to the newcomers that way' Carlisle smiled and gestured to Thomas, 'you know Thomas of course, then there's Katlyn, her brother Eric and his mate Leah, who, as you can tell, isn't a vampire but we'll get to that later. Then there's Nahuel, he's a half vampire half human hybrid but again, more on that later' he explained and I thought it over, half vampire? I didn't know much about my new kind but that seemed odd, though for all I knew it was completely normal.

'So how did the first hunt go, looks like you had fun judging by your clothes' Esme smiled and I looked back down at them, they were pretty bad.

'I had a bear and then some deer' I replied and Emmett guffawed.

'No fair, I would have gone with you if you hadn't told me it was only deer Edward' Emmett complained.

'I didn't expect her to insist on going after the bear' Edward said raising an eyebrow, 'it looks like you'll finally have someone around who share's your weird tastes'.

'Oooh fun, we can go up to Canada. Lots of bears there' Emmett grinned and I laughed, he really was crazy.

'Okay kids, calm down' Esme sighed, 'why don't we go back inside' and she turned back towards the front door. Everyone else drifted into the house as Edward, Bella and I walked up to the door. Nahuel was still standing there, looking at me. I tried not to look at him but I could still feel his gaze as I walked into the house, brushing past him. I felt a small shock, almost like static electricity; shoot to life across my skin when my arm brushed him. That was odd I thought, but I ignored it and entered the living room where everybody was settling themselves.

'Is it just me or do your houses always get even bigger?' I asked and Alice chuckled.

'We've had quite a few additions to our family lately so it became necessary to rebuild' she replied, taking my hand and pulling me over to the couch.

'Additions? ' I asked and she grinned.

'Well we have Eric and Katlyn of course' she chuckled and Bella groaned slightly, 'and then we have Thomas who is mates with Katlyn now and Leah who is from LaPush but she spends so much time here because she's imprinted on Eric, then we have Nahuel and finally of course the children' she responded and my head began to fill with questions.

'Okay. First what do you mean 'mate' and 'imprint', also…children? None of you were pregnant at the wedding, wait…can we even have children?' I asked and she rolled her eyes.

'Our _mates _are basically our soul mates for vampires; it's the person you're supposed to be with. Usually you get a spark when you touch them and an incredible attraction that tells you that person is yours. Jasper and I are mates, as are Edward and Bella, Carlisle and Esme, Rose and Emmett et cetera et cetera' she explained with a grin and I reckoned I understood. It was like a mystical version of falling in love, except quicker and more permanent. That explained how they all could seem so much more in love than normal couples, despite their physical age. Wait, just how old were they?

'And as for imprints, I think Leah would be best to explain that' she continued and winked at Leah.

'But she's human isn't she?' I asked, and then I thought about it. If she was human, I'd want to drink her blood wouldn't I? I wasn't even tempted. In fact, I thought, taking a whiff of the air in the room she didn't smell appetising she smelt…bad. I thought, my noise involuntarily winkling, then I felt mean and tried to cover the reaction with my hand but she had noticed.

'Don't worry, I smell bad to vampires for a reason' she smirked and I looked up at her, 'I'll just say it, I'm sort of…a werewolf' she said and I gasped, 'not the full moon biting kind but more like the shape shift into a wolf kind. Our whole tribe pass it down through their genes, we're born this way. The smell is a defence mechanism because we used to be enemies with vampires' she explained and I nodded my head slowly.

'So that's why you were all so cold towards the Cullens?' I asked and she nodded laughing.

'Recently we've had a few situations in which we've become allied with them so, we're…friends I suppose I should call it' she answered.

'So what's imprinting?' I asked.

'Same as finding a mate for vampires except a lot more instant and very powerful. The imprintees are instantly bound to each other, it can happen at any age' she said, squeezing Eric's hand and smiling at him.

These connections seemed so lovely, I hoped that maybe one day I'd be able to find my 'mate', not that I didn't miss Ben, but we'd been broken up for a while and had never been in love the same way that the Cullens had seemed to be, it had always been comfortable; Not passionate or destined just…comfortable. I missed him though, I wished he hadn't have died but he was gone, I just hoped that one day I could move on. My eyesight involuntarily drifted back towards Nahuel who was still looking at me, something about him was so enticing. I felt myself becoming overwhelmed just being in the same room so I tore my eyes away from him again. They talked about the electric shock mates felt, that couldn't have been what I'd felt? I wasn't ready for something like that, it couldn't happen so soon. Must have been my imagination, I thought and saw Edward smile to himself from the corner of my eye.

'So I get the whole werewolf thing though it's going to take me a while to get used to it, I'm still confused about the vampire part. Like, how long do we live, what are our strengths, can we have children? You know, the usual questions' I asked, looking at everyone.

'Okay, simply put' we're immortal, unless we're killed but that's very hard to do. We have to be ripped apart and burned basically. We're fast and strong as you already know; we look different, as you can see. We shimmer in direct sunlight which is why we avoid sunny days as you may have noticed. But we don't burn like in the movies, neither are we affected by crosses and holy water and those types of things. We don't eat or drink, only blood. Our minds work extremely well, perfect recall and increased intelligence. Some of us also have extra powers' Bella explained and laughed at my astonished expression, if I were human I would have fainted by now but I already noticed that, despite my shock, my new mind was cataloguing everything perfectly.

'Powers?' I asked, almost afraid of the answer, I already knew about Thomas, Edward and Jasper's, did I really want to know about the others?

'Well I can see the future, my daughter can teleport, Bella has a shield, Rose's daughter can invent things, Eric can change his own and other's bodies and there are others of us with more powers but they're not here right now' Alice said matter-of-factly as I sat there agape.

'Slow down Alice, unless you want Angela's head to explode' Bella said and patted me on the shoulder.

'You're not gonna freak out are you?' she asked and I shook my head.

'Just…processing' I whispered and cleared my throat. 'I'm pretty sure I get it all, I mean, it's hard to believe but given the whole vampire thing, I'm willing to believe pretty much anything now' I said looking at Alice.

'You said children, so you're a mom, and Rose too? What about you Bella' I said turning to her, 'were you really sick or was it pregnancy, does this mean we can have kids?' I asked.

'Normally we wouldn't be able to have children, but Eric discovered a way to use his power to make us able to conceive, though the children are vampires and grow extraordinarily fast. Rose had twins and Alice had a daughter' Edward explained, 'Bella did in fact get pregnant on her honeymoon, though she was human at the time. We thought it to be impossible but she gave birth to our daughter Renesmee who is half vampire like Nahuel' he explained, and I gawked at Bella. Bella…a mom? I couldn't believe it, but she did have a more motherly air to her now I thought about it, like she had matured. I could picture her as a mom.

'You'll get to meet the kids later, they'll love you. Nessie's been practically begging to meet you for quite a while now' Bella said smiling at me.

'Wait, but she's only a few months old isn't she?' I asked.

'She ages rapidly, she looks to be a few years old now, I was only pregnant for a couple of weeks. Edward had to turn me into a vampire or I wouldn't have survived' she said and I noticed a brief flicker of pain cross Edwards expression.

I sat there in shock, perhaps it was because my mind was so overloaded with information, but I sort of felt like my entire body was fading, sort of flickering in and out of solidity.

'Um…Angela?' Bella asked and I looked up at her, she looked shocked at something, wasn't I the one who was supposed to shocked. She already knew all of this.

'What, why are you looking at me like that?' I asked confused, they were all staring at me with equal expression to Bella's on their faces.

'Just…look at your hand' she whispered and I looked down at myself. Or what used to be me, instead of the body I was expecting there was, water? I was made out of water? My body now consisted of tangible liquid that made me look as if I was made out of a strange flowing glass.

'What the hell is happening to me?' I gasped.

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><p><strong>AN: DUN DUN DUNNNNN! Cliff hanger…kind of. What do you think her power is? It's pretty obvious.**


	24. Alibi

**A/N: I wasn't going to give Angela a power but then I thought that it wouldn't be fair if she didn't have one, she is after all one of the nicest characters. I chose water because I think she resembles a very serene and adaptable person but also I like to think she could be powerful if she wanted.**

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><p>Chapter 24: Bella's POV<p>

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><p>I sat there stunned as Angela's entire body rippled and flowed like water in solid form. Her features were still discernable. I could vaguely see her eyes, wide in confusion as she stared down at her body that now appeared to be made out of streams of glistening water, making her resemble an animated crystal statue.<p>

'Either I'm going crazy or she's just turned into water' Alice murmured and reached out as if to touch Angela's arm.

'Wait! We don't know what would happen if we touch her, Angela, how are you feeling?' Carlisle asked, moving over to kneel in front of her.

'Um well apart from freaking the hell out I feel…okay I suppose, my body feels sort of _unstable_ right now' she answered. As she spoke the currents seemed to swirl and undulate with the movement, causing her original face to weave in and out of tangibility as if the water was flowing beneath her skin.

'Could you try and grab onto something? Maybe touching something material can help you stabilise' Carlisle asked, pulling a pen out of his pocket and holding it in front of her.

'I'll try it, I don't want to risk hurting anyone' she whispered.

Her glistening arm moved slowly towards the pen Carlisle was holding and we all held our breath. If this were some form of gift she'd developed there was no telling how it worked yet, I could only hope that she could control it so she wouldn't be trapped flickering in between states for the rest of her life. She gently opened her hand and curled her fingers around the pen, being careful to avoid accidentally touching Carlisle as he held it out for her. She made contact and gripped the pen, for a moment I thought it would be okay as she pulled it back towards herself. But then I noticed that the pen itself was beginning to fade, as streams of water flowed from her fingers and twined themselves around it, turning it into a cylinder of water. The pen stayed solid for a second as she dropped it from her hand, rattling onto the floor, and then it broke apart into a puddle of water. I panicked, could that happen to Angela, would she turn into a pool of water? I gripped Edwards hand in fear but he merely gestured to the floor, glancing down I saw that the water was now drawing in on itself and forming a solid object. The glistening water began to merge and solidify as the droplets turned from translucent to opaque, until all that remained was the original black pen.

'Well that was definitely something' Carlisle whispered, his gaze fixated on the floor. 'How do you feel now?' he asked.

'Less panicked but still a bit weirded out…I think I've got a better grasp of how it works now' Angela said and took in a deep breath, closing her semi-transparent eyelids.

As she concentrated, I could see the rivulets of water that composed her skin begin to slow in their movements; the rippling currents seemed to freeze in place before colour began to swirl back into her skin. Her body was now solidifying as her features became more distinct, within seconds the glistening streams turned back into her original body and she breathed a sigh of relief.

'Woo, sorry if I freaked anyone out. That was a bit scary wasn't it?' she laughed and we all unfroze ourselves.

'That's a bit of an understatement Ang' Emmett grinned and we all laughed, feeling more at ease now that the panic was over.

'So what was all that?' I asked, looking to Carlisle for any theory he might have come up with.

'Well most likely she has a similar power to Paige's, except her gift is water, not fire' he shrugged.

'Who's Paige?' Angela asked, looking around the room.

'Another vampire, she's over in Seattle shopping now with her mate Anthony, you'll meet them later. She can control fire and apparently turn her body to smoke' Edward explained and she nodded.

'So I really get a power? This is awesome' she grinned, pumping her fist in victory and I laughed.

'Calm down Ang, it is awesome though' I smiled, hugging her to my side.

'It could cause a problem in future though, it'd probably be best if you worked on controlling it. It would be disastrous if you spontaneously turned to water halfway through the wedding' Alice chirped and then slapped her hand over her mouth as if she'd said something she wasn't supposed to. I stared at her, what wedding? I didn't know anyone was getting married, was she going to force Jasper to marry her again? I looked to Edward but he was busy glaring daggers at Alice.

'Wedding? Who's getting married?' Angela gasped, looking at Alice.

'Oh…no one, I just meant hypothetically you know' she said casually. I'd have to ask Edward later, maybe someone was planning to propose.

'We'll work on controlling it then' Edward answered, 'but for now Angela, how would you like to meet our daughter?' he said smiling and I focused my attention outside, I could hear the tell-tale heartbeats of Jacob and Nessie as well as Seth and Nelle who must have been looking after the twins and Maddy. They were running through the woods and towards the house as I got up to let them in, I opened the door and barely managed to get out of the way in time before Nessie's small frame came barrelling past me, heading straight towards Angela. I was worried for a brief second that she'd be startled but Angela just smiled as Nessie came to a stop at her feet and looked up at her.

'Are you Angie?' she asked, beaming up at her.

'Yeah sweety, and who are you?' Angela smiled, pulling her into her lap.

'I'm Renesmee, but you can call be Nessie. And over there is my Jakey, he's a wolf' she giggled and started playing with Angela's hair.

'Wow, this is your daughter Bells? How old is she?' She asked, looking Nessie up and down, a small frown on her face as she tried to figure out how an apparently five month old could look nearly two, as well as talk and act like a full grown child.

'Technically she's five months old, but due to her genes, she grows rapidly' Edward explained matter-of-factly as he stroked my hand, he knew I was nervous about Nessie being around a new born vampire, I trusted Angela more than anything and I could see that she had exceptional control, but there was still a part of me that worried the worst would happen. Angela gazed in wonder down at Nessie who was showing her our lives with her gift; this was by far the easiest way for her to get up to speed. As Nessie grew, her power had become stronger. Before she could only show images and thoughts at a certain pace, but now she could flash almost unlimited amounts of information in only a few seconds. It was as if she could tell our life story with only one touch. She giggled when she had finished, resuming her plaiting of Angela's hair. Rose had taught her last week all sorts of complicated braids and her new favourite activity was experimenting with them.

'Is there any news on Vasilios?' Edward asked as Carlisle came back in the room, he'd been on the phone with Oliver trying to get a location pinned down, judging by the look on his face he hadn't found much.

'Well I talked to Eleazar after Oliver couldn't get a lock on him and we think that he found out about us finding Angela and therefore assumed we had a tracker with us, Elena must be using her power to block them from Oliver's power as well as Alice's. It's the only way I can explain how we can't find him or his mate' he sighed, sitting back down next to Esme who took a hold of his hand in a comforting gesture.

'So we just wait for him to make the next move? What if he hurts someone else to get at us? If he's using her power to block Oliver, does that mean that she can't block Alice and Edward anymore?' I asked, ignoring Edward's attempts to calm me, Angela had almost died because of her friendship with me; I wouldn't have someone else becoming a victim of Vasilio's bad temper.

'I'm sorry Bella but that's all we can do, hopefully when he does attack again it'll be directly so that we can take care of him once and for all. Panicking isn't going to help us; we need to make sure that we're ready to deal with him when he turns up. I've already alerted the rest of the committee about his activities, some of them have been alerted about a couple of rogue vampires matching their description going around and killing people, leaving the bodies to be found by the authorities. It seems that he's trying to undermine our authority by making it seem like we have no control over anyone. No one is falling for it though and he knows it so that's why he moved on to attacking Angela' he said gesturing at Angela who flinched slightly, remembering Vasilios. 'It's only a matter of time before he slips up. Until then, I know it's frustrating but we have to wait' he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

'Is he still killing innocents and leaving the bodies?' Jacob asked and Carlisle's eyes filled with sorrow.

'Yes, not as many as in the beginning but still more than just for feeding. He's a cruel person who revels in causing pain. For him, killing people is…_fun_' Carlisle ground out and his shoulders slumped. I knew that not being able to do anything to protect these people was killing him; Vasilios knew that we couldn't track him as long as he used his power to block Oliver, so we were pretty much helpless until he made a mistake. I rubbed my forehead and sat back, pinching the skin above my nose in frustration. Who would he go after next, the pack? Sue? Charlie? A shiver ran through me at the idea of my father becoming victim to Vasilios' sadistic punishment but Carlisle was right. The only thing we could do was make sure we were ready for when he did slip up. I just hoped that it was soon.

I was brought out of my reverie by a girly squeal as Elsie and Zack began running around the living room, chasing Maddy who had only just began toddling herself. Trust the children to be able to eliminate the bad mood that had settled over all of us, I laughed as Elsie jumped on Zack with super speed, giggling as she pinned him down.

'Yield! Yield!' she yelled, holding him in a choke hold as he grumbled. He wasn't uncomfortable; he was just perturbed at having been bested by his sister.

'Who taught you that Elsebeth?' Rose asked, raising an eyebrow as she stood there with her hands on her hips.

'Uncle Jaz and daddy' she giggled, letting go of her brother when he finally tapped the ground in surrender. He got up and wiped his clothes down, running over to where he had left the book he was reading before Elsie dragged him up to play. Jasper and Emmett had the good grace to look guilty when Rose fixed her eyes on them, I could see that Emmett was trying not to look too proud of his daughter, but failing dismally as a smile grew on his face.

'I just wanted to make sure that she knew how to protect herself' he shrugged, 'besides it was her idea'.

'That's no excuse' Rose sighed, resigning to letting it go as a small smile played across her lips, it was obvious that Elsie had gained both her father's love for fighting and her mother's love for getting her own way. I dreaded to think what would happen if anyone got in the way of what she wanted. Zack on the other hand, was strange; although he did appear to be developing the same strength as Emmett, he seemed to be more subdued. I wondered where he'd gotten that from, both Emmett and Rose were such strong personalities that I'd just assumed that the twins would take after them. But Rose did have a quiet side. The side only those closest to her ever saw, now that Anthony was around so often it seemed that she had become softer. Zack had obviously taken after that part of her, as well as modelling himself more after his grandfathers than Emmett. I would have thought that Emmett would be upset at the idea of his only son not following in his footsteps, but he was always smiling. I guessed that he was content as long as Zack was happy, and if being quieter and liking books more than games made him happy, then that was okay by Emmett.

'So these are your kids Rose?' Angela asked, Nessie had left her lap and run off to play with Maddy, she was like a big sister to the three of them. Though I knew that soon they would overtake her physically, she would always be their big sister. Rose looked up from where she was sitting, helping Nessie plait Maddy's long dark hair and smiled.

'The little blonde rascal and the dark haired boy are mine and Emmett's.' Rose answered, 'this little angel…' she added, kissing Maddy on the cheek loudly as her little laugh tinkled throughout the room, causing Alice to pop her head in from the kitchen and smile, 'is my sister Alice and Jasper's daughter. Say hello to Angela sweetie' she whispered in Maddy's ear and the little girl nodded smiling, then her little face screwed up in concentration. I knew what was going to happen and prayed that Angela wasn't feeling jumpy as Maddy's skin burned with a golden glow for a second before she disappeared completely, rematerializing on Angela's lap. She jumped slightly, shock clear on her face as Maddy clapped in accomplishment, then the surprise melted away into a wide smile.

'You guys really have some tricks up your sleeves don't you. I guess I do too come to think of it. It makes me wonder, what else is real? Mermaids, Bigfoot, Leprechauns, Fairies?' she asked jokily but there was a tone of curiosity in her voice, she looked to me and I shrugged, I didn't know if they were real or not. From what I'd seen in the past few years, anything was possible. Carlisle smiled and flitted upstairs to his office, returning a second later with a leather bound book in his hands, handing it over Angela who took it hesitantly.

'A friend of mine wrote that, he decided to spend his time searching down legends. He reckoned that if vampires and werewolves existed then there had to be truth to other stories. That book details what he found' he smiled and Angela looked at it with wonder, so it was pretty much an A-Z guide of everything freaky.

'Thanks Carlisle, it looks so old though, I don't want to damage it' she said, running her fingers gently over the embossed front.

'Oh don't worry, since the revelation of the vampire/human hybrids and the Quileutes, he's decided to rewrite it, in fact I've already put him in touch with Sam and Eric so that he can help them research other shifter tribes, like the one that Eric and Katlyn came from and the Quiluetes' he answered and Angela nodded slightly, settling back on the couch and opening the book. She was a lot like Carlisle in that way, Angela loved information. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be letting go of that book for a while. Nahuel gazed over at her as she read through the pages, a look of intense curiosity on her face as she took in the words. He noticed me looking and quickly looked away, a small hint of pink barely visible in his dark cheeks. I knew that they were attracted to each other, maybe even mated one day, but Nahuel was taking his time. Until recently he had never even met a female that wasn't related to him, and he was also being careful not to come on too strong with Angela because of the stress of turning and losing Ben. Even though they had broken up before he died and Thomas had helped heal her of her guilt over his death, he was still being careful around her, only sharing a few glances here and there. I looked over at Edward who was smiling slightly; he nodded and squeezed my hand. He had noticed the attraction too.

A few hours later I heard the familiar sound of Charlie's police cruiser ambling down the driveway towards the house, I glanced over at Angela, who was still reading the book Carlisle gave her, curled up on the end of the sofa. I could smell my father already, how had Angela not heard his heartbeat at least. She should be salivating from his proximity.

'Angela, my dad is coming, maybe you'd better go somewhere so you aren't tempted it' I said, placing my hand on her knee to get her attention, she'd been glued to that book all afternoon.

'Oh I know, I can smell him. It's not bothering me much though' she said looking up from the page she was on and smiling slightly. 'If you want, I can go. It's up to you' she said, closing her book as Edward came in from the music room.

'Will she be alright with Charlie here' I asked, we only had about thirty seconds before Charlie would be at the door so we needed to make a decision soon.

'Alice would have foreseen if something happened, besides, her mind is pretty much clear. She has very good control, but I'll get Jasper and Carlisle into the room just in case' he answered and as if by magic Jasper and Carlisle were suddenly in the room, taking their positions on the sofa on either side of Angela. That was the thing about living in a house full of vampires, because of our hearing range, the minute you even whispered someone's name they were by your side. I settled myself back on the chair, holding onto Angela's hand. She was calm, considering she was about to test how well she could stand being in the room with a human…my dad no less I thought, gulping. But I trusted Edward's judgement and I could see there was only slight worry in her gaze; for the most part she was serene as Charlie's footsteps ran from his car to the front door. Why was he so agitated? He seemed to be in a panic, his heart beating so erratically that I worried for his health; I glanced anxiously at Edward as he went over to the door and opened it, letting Charlie in.

'Hello…Edward, is…Bella…here? Bad…news…' he gasped for air, placing his hand on the door frame to steady himself.

'What is it dad?' I asked, he really did look like he was about to collapse, he must have heard something very distressing to rush over here so fast. I once again worried for his health, though his pulse was steadying as he caught his breath, unfolding himself while he turned to look at me.

'It's Angela We-' he began, but cut himself off when his eyes fell on Angela, he stared at her for a second, looking her up and down from her pale skin to her red eyes and frowned. 'So you're a vampire then, not dead in a ditch?' he asked, anger in his tone.

'Dad! Please, don't be angry at Angela, she hasn't done anything wrong' I whispered and he calmed himself down a bit, rubbing the sweat off his forehead.

'It's just, I was at the station and we got a call about Ben. We assumed that Angela had been taken…or worse killed, but she's here. Do you have any idea what sort of hell her parents are going through, what are you planning to tell them Bells?' He asked, taking a seat in an armchair and heaving an exasperated sigh. 'I think you need to tell me what happened' he said and I looked to Angela who had a death grip on my hand ever since her parents were mentioned, she took a small breath to brace herself and I noticed her flinch slightly when Charlie's scent hit her fully but she swallowed past it and gave me shaky smile to show that she was okay. We ran through the story, about how I'd gone to visit Angela and found that she and Ben had been kidnapped by Vasilios, about how we'd tracked her to the warehouse and found her there. Charlie paled when we described what Vasilios had made her do to Ben but didn't seem to blame Angela for it, he just looked sad. We told him about how we rang the police about Ben's body and brought Angela home with us. He took it all in his stride and nodded along to show that he was following along.

'What are you planning on telling her parents?' He asked Carlisle who was still sitting next to Angela with his hand placed reassuringly on her shoulder.

'I was thinking that we tell them she survived the…_mugging_ that killed Ben, but needed intensive care and her purse was stolen so no one knew who to notify until she woke up. Though I know the Weber's will want to visit her, we don't know how we're going to deal with that. We may not have to though, my worry was keeping her away from humans until she got her thirst under control, but from the looks of it she may do just fine. Though we'll have to use contacts like we did with Bella' he said and Angela's worry morphed into something else, hope.

'Co…could I really see my family?' she whispered, looking at Carlisle who smiled gently at her.

'Yes I think you could, it used to be that we'd fake your death but times have changed recently. Of course they will notice your paleness but we can pass that off as…loss of blood. The main worry was that you would attack them, but I don't think we need to really worry too much about that with the rate you're going' he said and she beamed at him.

'So what do you want me to do? Tell them she's being cared for here?' Charlie asked, he was right, the Webers would be expecting to go to a hospital to visit Angela and it would look very suspicious if we had her here but had neglected to notify her family. I thought about it for a second as we all sat there pensively, trying to find our way out of this minefield. An idea occurred to me.

'Carlisle, you sometimes work at the hospital in Seattle right?' I asked and he nodded hesitantly, waiting for me to continue my line of thought. 'Well say this is the story; Angela was found, bleeding to death. The reason why she wasn't at the warehouse with Ben was because she had crawled to try and get to safety. Someone found her, rang an ambulance and they took her to hospital. But her purse was stolen and she was unconscious from the loss of blood so they had no idea who she was. So we say that Carlisle was at the hospital earlier…picking up some files or checking on patients or something, and happened to pass by Angela's room and recognised her. We could tell them that he took over as her doctor and after finding that there was not too much damage he decided to transport her to the hospital here so she could be closer to her family. Carlisle, do you think you could sneak Angela into the hospital and into an empty room? We could ring the Webers and tell them that he only just got back with her and wasn't able to phone until now. Will that work?' I asked Carlisle, and he smiled broadly at me, I looked over at Charlie who was shaking his head slowly, his eyebrows knitted together.

'Holy crap Bells, did you just come up with that now? What are you, a criminal mastermind?' he asked and I laughed, I had to admit it was a pretty air tight story, even if I did say so myself.

'That sounds like it may actually work, we'll have to get going though. We can't leave it too long or they'll keep worrying. Are you sure you'll be okay being around your family Angela?' Carlisle asked her, she thought about it for a second and took a needlessly long and deep breath, leaning forward closer to Charlie, I wondered what she was doing for a second and was ready to jump up to stop her if she lunged for my dad but she soon sat back and rubbed her throat gently, grimacing slightly but seeming to be under control.

'If I can stand taking in that much of Charlie's scent without jumping on him, then I should be able to stand being around my family right? We can make it look like I have a IV or something so that they won't try to hug me too much' she reasoned and I couldn't argue with her logic, I was glad that she was able to withstand being so close to my dad's scent, even if it was a risky move. But it was one that had to be done or else she might not have been prepared for seeing her human family so soon. With that little test done and a solid plan in place we set about preparing to leave, Carlisle gave her a hospital gown and some of the brown contacts left over from when I had to use them for when they got to the hospital.

Only Carlisle, Edward and I were going to be accompanying her to the hospital. It would be difficult enough sneaking her in, let alone trying to do it with a gang of followers, besides, the Webers would expect Carlisle to be there as her doctor, and mine and Edward's presence wouldn't arise suspicion because we were her friends, but the entire Cullen family would definitely raise some eyebrows. I didn't need to apply any contacts, even though I'd be around humans, because my previously bright red eyes had darkened to a dark reddish bronze that was close enough to brown to easily pass off as a trick of the light. We may even come up with an excuse when they turned golden, some rare disease that alters the eye colour or something along those lines, Carlisle would come up with a plausible explanation. We drove to the hospital in the Volvo, pulling into the staff parking lot behind the hospital. Making sure not many people were around, we snuck Angela in through the service entrance and climbed up the stair well at human pace, on the off chance that we'd be spotted by an orderly, we didn't want them to catch us moving inhumanly fast. Carlisle lead us up to the fifth floor where they apparently kept the patients who were out of immediate danger but still needed to be kept on the ward, just in case. The floor we would be on was usually reserved for people recovering from serious injuries like Angela's fictitious assault, but because Forks was such a small town there were rarely any patients with that kind of injury, so the floor was pretty much deserted which suited our needs perfectly. We made our way silently through the ward, only seeing one or two nurses along the way, who blushed furiously when Carlisle smiled at them in greeting. We finally arrived at the room that Carlisle had called ahead to make sure was empty, there was already an IV set up that we could tape to Angela's arm to make it look like she was hooked up. Angela went behind the screen in the corner of the room to change into the hospital gown that Carlisle had given her, emerging a moment later looking like she belonged here…almost I thought, there were a couple of details missing so I got out the make-up kit that Alice had given me before we left the house out of my hand bag, opening it up and perching on the edge of the bed as Angela climbed under the covers. I used the purple and blue eye-shadows to apply a few dark marks around one of her eyes and the opposite cheek, making sure not to overdo it, but still making it look like she'd been through quite a fight with the imaginary mugger.

'That was Charlie, he's downstairs with the Webers and they're on their way up right now, so…places everyone' Edward smiled, snapping his phone shut and taking a seat at the edge of the room, I went over and joined him, taking his hand and a deep breath.

Man, I hoped this would work.

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><p><strong>AN: I know that being able to be so close to a human and control yourself as a newborn is meant to be impossible in the world of Twilight but I figured that a) Angela is like Bella in the way that her hatred of hurting people and love for her family is stronger than the thirst and b) her experience with being forced to drink from Ben rendered her sickened by the idea of feeding from a human ever again. Hope that explains how she's so controlled. Enjoy and review please :D**


	25. Revelation

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: Back to Angela's POV again cats and kittens. Been getting nice reviews and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to get your feedback. I've nearly finished the ending on my first draft; I write the story in word on my laptop and then go back and edit it chapter by chapter before publishing it so once I've finished the climax I should be ready to post the entire thing. Right now I'm about ten/fifteen chapter further in my first draft then I am on here. Also, I have some ideas swimming around in my brain so I'm happy to say that I have a sequel already mapped out in my head. I would like some feedback though, if you guys have any ideas of possible characters etc that you would like to see make an appearance in the sequel then let me know. I'll shut up now and let you read.**

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><p>Chapter 25: Angela's POV:<p>

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><p>I lay there, trying to act frail despite the fact that I had all this new strength filling my body. Carlisle had given me some tips on acting human, thought it would be a lot easier pretending to be normal whilst lying in a bed than if I had to sit around and remind myself to cross my legs every so often. I had to remember to blink though, not that I could forget with these annoying contacts in my eyes, Bella had warned me that they would be disorientating at first but I wasn't prepared for just how annoying it was. Having just gotten used to having the incredible eye sight that came with being a vampire, I was now trapped attempting to ignore the grainy texture of the contacts that my perfect eyesight kept trying to focus on. I blinked a few times to see if that made it any better, but with every movement of my eyelids I could feel the contacts grating against my eyes and it was irritating me. I sat their blinking a little too fast when I heard the quickened footsteps and frantic heartbeats of my family heading towards my room, I was relieved that I didn't get any sudden urge to drink them when their scents hit my nose, the reminder of home and happiness at seeing my family overwhelmed the burning ache in my throat, making it easy to ignore.<p>

'Angela, oh baby thank god you're alright. We've been worried sick' my mother cried as she rushed over to the bed and enveloped me in a hug that would have been dangerous if I were really injured. _This was the test_, keeping my eyes locked on Carlisle, telling him to be ready to restrain me if I snapped, I took a careful breath in, the scent of my mother washed over me and I could smell everything from the dye she was using to cover up the grey in her hair to the lavender perfume she'd been wearing as long as I can remember. I didn't feel any urge to attack her, the burning did harshen slightly but not to an unbearable extent, I was just happy to see her again as she buried her face in my hair, her tears dropping onto my skin.

'Um, mom, you might want to be careful. She _is_ injured after all' I heard my brother Joshua say, tapping her shoulder to get her attention.

'Oh sorry, sorry, are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I?' she asked, fussing over me.

'No it's okay mom' I said quietly, trying to make my voice sound as if I were injured. My new voice would have been almost unrecognisable to my family so Carlisle told me to try and disguise it as best I could when talking. My mom looked at me for a second, seeming curious about my voice but she just shrugged slightly, probably assuming it was due to my injuries.

'Are you sure she's okay Dr. Cullen? She looks awfully pale' my dad said, coming over to stand next to my mom and taking my hand, he flinched at the drastic coldness but kept a hold of it anyway, 'she's freezing as well, is she going to be okay?' he asked, anxiety in his gaze as he looked at Carlisle.

'She lost a lot of blood, as well as gone through quite an ordeal, that's why she's so pale and her skin feels a bit cold. She'll be healthy in no time though, she's making a remarkable recovery and most of her injuries are surface wounds, nothing life threatening' he said, smiling gently and my parents seemed to visibly relax. My mom ran her hand through my hair, a sad smile touching her lips.

'Do you remember what happened to you?' she whispered and I swallowed, remembering the story that I had rehearsed in the car, I hated to lie to them, especially about how Ben died, it felt like I was tainting his memory by lying about it and even though I know longer blamed myself, I still felt wrong by not accounting for at least how he was put in a position to die. I ground my teeth in hatred at the memory of Vasilios and his disgusting smile when he forced Ben's bleeding body towards me. I knew now that _no one_ could have been able to control themselves if they were put into my position at that time, I cursed Vasilios and his sadistic games, making someone kill a friend just to take pleasure from their guilt was sick and I could feel the anger towards him bubbling up in me, I pushed it down and focused on putting the anger to the back of my mind, I could call it back later, when Vasilios is helpless in front of me,_ I'll_ be the one to rip him to pieces.

I took in a breath and told them the story, about how Ben and I had gone out to lunch to discuss whether or not we should get back together but got in an argument instead; I stormed off and he followed me, leading to us both getting lost in the warehouse district. There we were ambushed by a pair of muggers with knives who took all of our money and my handbag, but they didn't just let us go. I told them about how they killed Ben by stabbing him in the neck and then started to beat me up, stabbing me in the stomach as well. Then the story was that they left us for dead, not realising that I was still alive. I spoke about how I managed to crawl as far as a couple of streets before I passed out and how the next thing I remembered was waking up in hospital. I didn't know if my account was believable, the idea of faking tears over the lie felt wrong when the truth was so much more horrific.

I just spoke my lines as I'd remembered them, hoping that my parents would see the emptiness in my voice as a symptom of shock, instead of the weariness of having to blame Ben's death on some anonymous mugger when all I wanted to do was let the world know what a monster Vasilios truly was. If not the world, then my parents at least, I couldn't stand the idea of them thinking that the horror of that night had been over a couple of hundred bucks and some lipstick, it made Ben's death seem so trivial, and I hated it. I held back a sob as my mom stroked my hand. Edward said something to Carlisle in a tone so low that only he could hear, I tried to pick up on what they were saying but they seemed to be practiced at private conversation in public places because I couldn't hear a word. I looked over at Bella in confusion but she just shrugged.

'Joshua, Isaac, could you come with me for a few minutes, let's give them some privacy' Edward said and moved towards the door, my brothers looked unhappy but they each gave me a hug and a small smile before they followed Edward out the door.

'Is there something wrong? Something you couldn't tell us in front of the boys?' my dad asked, anxiety darkening his gaze as he looked me over, searching for any injury that he may not have noticed, despite the fact that I wasn't really injured.

'Everything's okay Mr Weber. It's just a matter that Edward thought Angela would like to discuss with you two herself, and then you can decide whether or not your sons need to know' Carlisle answered, giving me a warm smile. What was he talking about? My brow furrowed in confusion as I tried to figure out what he was getting at. '_It's okay to tell them about your…transformation, if you want, Edward believes they can be trusted and he saw how much you didn't want to lie to them, it's up to you though whether or not you want to tell them'_ he murmured, in the same hushed tones as before, only this time I could hear him, though my parents couldn't.

I thought about it; if I told them I ran the risk of frightening them or maybe even losing them forever. There was also the fact that they may be in danger for knowing. Though from what I'd heard, the main threat against people who knew of vampires was the Volturi, and they were gone now. I also couldn't stand to lie to them; I loved my parents more than anything in my life and had never kept a secret from them. I didn't think they would hate me, even though my father was a minister, I knew they were open-minded and loved me. I wanted more than anything to be able to stay a part of their lives, that wouldn't happen if I had to fake my death or move away to stop them from knowing the truth. I looked over at Bella who gave me a small smile of encouragement and then my gaze moved to Carlisle, I gave him the slightest of nods, swallowing_. Here goes nothing_.

'Mom…dad, there's something I need to tell you.' I began and they looked at me with equal expressions or worry painted on their faces.

'Anything honey, what is it? Are you okay?' my father asked, rubbing the arm that wasn't taped to an IV. I took in a deep breath.

'That story that I just told you, it's a lie. I'm sorry, I just thought it would be best for you to believe the public story instead of the real one because I didn't think you'd believe the real one' I said softly, waiting for the disappointment or anger or…something to set in. The only emotion was concern though.

'Why did you think you couldn't tell us what really happened baby? You know that we love you no matter what' my mom cooed smiling down at me. Ah hell with it I thought, I'd just rip the band aid off and go from there.

'I'm a vampire' I said, almost too fast for them to hear but they did, a look of amusement settled on my mother's face before she looked at me, I mean _really_ looked at me, then at Bella and Carlisle, her brow knitted together in confusion before awareness filled her gaze, with only the briefest hint of fear. I looked at my father for his reaction but he just smiled knowingly at me, taking a hold of my hand.

'I always figured that was what your family were Carlisle' he sighed in a resigned manner, 'though I'm not happy that you brought my daughter into it' he added fixing him with a look. So my dad knew did he, judging by the lack of surprise from my mother, he had shared his theories with her as well. It turned out I was the last one to know about vampires, and I _was_ one for crying out loud. I huffed and took the opportunity to make myself more comfortable; I blinked out the last remnants of the coloured contacts and pulled the taped IV off my arm, sitting up in bed now that I didn't have to act frail. My parents gasped softly at my red eyes and my dad looked at Carlisle questioningly.

'Why aren't they golden like your families?' he asked Carlisle who smiled gently at him.

'When we arte first created our eyes are coloured red because of the blood left over in you system, they change over time depending on what the vampire feeds on, those who feed from humans have red eyes, but my family and I feed solely from animals and therefore our eyes turn golden. You can see that Bella's are a bronze colour, that's because she's still a relatively new vampire and her eyes are slowly turning golden' he explained, gesturing to Bella and my dad nodded his head in understanding.

'So you don't…hurt people?' my mum whispered, looking form Carlisle to Bella warily.

'No we don't, we believe that unnecessary killing is wrong but we still need blood to survive so we choose to hunt animals. Mountain lions, elk, your daughter took down a bear on her first hunt' he chuckled and my dad paled, looking back at me as I grimaced.

'You can do that? Take down bears, you're that strong?' he gasped, eyes wide in disbelief.

'We're fast too' Bella said, running at vampire speed over to my bed and sitting beside me before my parents had a chance to blink. My father was still looking at where Bella had been sitting a second ago and spun around.

'You just…disappeared, wow!' he whispered. 'But how did this happen honey? Did you ask them to turn you or…? He trailed off, giving Carlisle a less than friendly look. I gave a bitter laugh.

'I wish the Cullens had turned me, it would have been a lot nicer than what really happened' I said, all traces of mirth gone from me as I told them the truth of what really happened to me and Ben. As I revealed the story of Vasilios and his sadistic game their faces flitted between sadness, shock, anger and grief; as I retold the part about Vasilios forcing me to drink from Ben my mother's hand tightened around my own, sadness filling her eyes.

'That disgusting bastard' my dad spat and I blinked in shock, he was a minister for crying out loud, but I couldn't help but agree with his sentiment. 'I don't think you're a monster for killing Ben Angela, from what I can tell this Vasaline guy would have killed him no matter what. I just hate that you had to go through that alone' he said, a tear rolling down his cheek.

'I wasn't alone dad, Bella found out I'd been taken and the Cullens came to get me, I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for them. They also helped me heal…emotionally that is. Their friend Thomas did a weird thing and made me release my guilt and sadness, I'm okay now. A little sad, but I know I'm gonna be okay, as long as I have my family' I said, leaning forward to give him a hug, being careful not to move to fast in case I startled him.

'What about this vampire that came after her, where is he now?' he asked Carlisle who rubbed the back of his neck, an anxious look filling his golden eyes.

'He's gone, we don't know where. He's blocking our tracker's power so we can't find him. Right now we're just hoping that he'll slip up somehow, and then we'll…_deal_ with him' he answered and I would have expected my father to flinch at his implication, my dad knew we were going to kill him. Even my dad, who was a minister, knew that Vasilios deserved to die, that showed just how evil the asshole was.

After that the conversation lightened up a bit, my parents thought it best not to tell Isaac and Joshua about the whole vampire things until they were a bit older, as it was, they'd probably run around town telling everyone so we'd wait till they were more mature and less…themselves. They asked Carlisle a few questions and marvelled at pictures of Nessie that Bella had in her purse, unable to believe that she had a daughter. I had been the same when I found out, but when I saw her with Nessie I could tell that she was a natural. They promised to come around for dinner tomorrow, if they were nervous about entering a house full of vampires, they didn't show it. I was glad that they were willing to be a part of my new life I thought as I hugged them goodbye. I changed back into my clothes and wiped the remnants of the fake bruises off my face before we headed home.

We got back to the Cullen house in the late afternoon; the days were gradually getting longer as May approached and I was eagerly anticipating the summer. There was a small fluttering of butterflies in my stomach, as we pulled up to the front of the house, I couldn't figure out what this nervousness was about as I got out of the car and headed towards the front door.

'I think I'll just hang out in the garden for a bit Bells' I said, I wanted to read some more of the book that Carlisle had given me, it was full of interesting facts and revelations about things I never even imagined could be possible. Though I was a vampire now so I guessed I had to get used to seeing the impossible every day. Bella hugged me before I ran off to retrieve my book from the living room, carrying it outside to a soft patch of grass on the outskirts of the garden where I could have a nice view of the river as the afternoon sun bounced off the water. I had a new fascination with water now, my gift making me feel a sort of connection to the flowing currents around me. I placed the book down and walked over to the river, pulling off my shoes and socks to dip my feet in. I waded for a few minutes, before perching myself on a rock so I could run my fingers through the water. I decided to test my power a little, seeing if I could get a finer control over it as I tried to focus myself, seeing if I could get a hold of the same feeling that I had experienced before in the living room.

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the trickling flow of the water beneath my fingers, listening to the gentle current as it ran through my fingers. I felt my hand begin to flicker and I urged the flicker to grow, feeling a cool sensation spreading up my arm. I fluttered my eyes open and looked at my hand; it was clear and rippling, perfectly blended in with the water of the river beneath me. I tried to grasp the feel of the power, coaxing it up my arm and was pleased when it followed my wishes. Bella had described how difficult it had been for her to gain control over her shield, how it was like elastic that just wouldn't stretch until she had broken through and mastered it during the battle. It wasn't like that for my power though, sure it wasn't anywhere near as formidable a gift as Bella's but I still felt a thrill of giddiness at the idea of having my own special ability.

The water felt as if it was a part of me, completely willing to bend and change to my will as I reduced it down so that it only covered my fingertips. I swirled them around and felt the river respond to my glass-like skin, whirling in a small circle as it rippled upwards at my touch. I smiled broadly as I made the droplets dance around my hand, jumping almost a mile when I heard a gentle cough from behind me. I had been so ensconced in the feel of the water that I hadn't noticed anyone approach me. I turned around to see that Nahuel was sitting on the river bank a few feet to my right, the currents caused the light reflected from the sunset to dance around on his dark skin, causing it to glow slightly.

'Um…hey' I smiled, letting go of my power so that my hand returned to normal and wiping it dry on my rolled up jeans.

'You were very beautiful' he said and then a gentle blush spread beneath his cheeks and he shifted uncomfortably, 'I uh…I mean your power, it was very beautiful' he murmured and I felt a trickle of disappointment spread through me, I ignored it and smiled softly.

'I was just experimenting ,you know, come and look at this' I said, gesturing for him to come and sit next to me on the rock, he only hesitated for a second before wading over to me and settling himself down on the edge of the rock. I forced myself to ignore the shiver of electricity that fizzled through my arm when he brushed it, putting it down as a figment of my imagination, or perhaps just my over active libido. I had been single for almost a month after all. I turned my fingertips into the same clear and rippling texture as before; it was a lot easier this time, almost instantaneous as I focused on the river below me. I glided my fingers just above the flow of the current, feeling the water wanting to respond to my presence as I urged a small stream of the river to swirl upwards towards my hand, creating a cylinder of water that seemed to have a mind of its own. I looked over at Nahuel, whose gaze wasn't fixed on the water anymore, instead he was staring at me intently; his teak eyes burning in a way that made me want to shy away from him, not from discomfort, but because I was confused about the almost uncontrollable urge I had to reach out and touch him.

I released my power, vaguely registering the sound of the water splashing back into the river as his hand came up to cradle my face, sending another quiver of electricity through my cheek when his thumb grazed it. I felt my eyes fluttered closed as I leant into his soft palm, taking in his deep and warm scent that made me think of the jungle and exotic flowers. I was about to say something when I felt the soft press of his lips against mine, causing an explosion of heat to burst to life throughout my body as I felt myself respond to the kiss with a hunger that was so unlike me. I completely let go of any restraint I had and reached up to hold onto him, feeling his own hands grip my tightly in response as we splashed the river water over each other. I felt the welcome intrusion of his sweet tongue as he gently traced my bottom lip, I groaned slightly and met it with my own, creating a sensual dance that caused him to release his own passionate sound from deep within his throat.

Our blissfull moment was interputed however when I became aware of someone watching us, I opened my eyes and turned my head, my hands still gripping Nahuel's thick hair.

'About damn time' Bella said, grinning down at us from the bank, the huge smile on her face was mirrored by Edward who winked at me knowingly. I was about to feel embarrassed when I realised that I really didn't have a reason to, I shrugged and stood, holding my hand out to Nahuel, who smiled hesitantly before taking my hand in his, pulling himself up but not releasing his hold as he traced small circles on my palm. I raised my eyebrow at Bella as she smirked at me, rolling her eyes and nudging Edward.

'Come on honey, let's give them some privacy' she winked before leading Edward back into the house, I smiled up at Nahuel, pulling him out of the water. He followed willingly, laughing when he looked down at his trousers which were soaked in water. I gave him another feather light kiss, careful not to let myself get carried away again in case we were still being watched.

'Come on' I said as he let out a small sigh when I pulled back, 'let's go back inside.'

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><p><strong>AN: I always feel weird writing mushy scenes but I hope I did okay. Please Review : )**


	26. Permission

**A/N: I decided to do someone else's POV and Seth struck me as a decent example. I am also happy to announce that I have now completed the first draft of the story so the updates should be coming pretty consistently and I only have one exam left so after that we are on! Please read and review my lovelies : D**

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><p>Chapter 26: Seth's POV<p>

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><p>I loved her. There was no other way to describe the way I felt when I was with Nelle, she made me so insanely happy that even my mother was having a hard time being around me lately, though I think that probably had more to do with the idea of both her kids finding their mates. I knew she missed having us around and now that both Leah and I had imprinted I could feel her pushing us away, probably under the impression that we wouldn't need her anymore; she must have felt that keeping her distance now would be easier than losing us when we got married and had kids of our own. I couldn't believe she thought that though, I doubted me and Leah would ever not need her around so I made a point of coming over to her house at least twice a week for dinner, even though I practically lived with the Cullens now and Esme was an awesome cook, I still missed my mom's food. Nelle and I were heading back down to the reservation; Leah and Eric were meeting us there later so we decided to run there instead of driving, it was more fun that way.<p>

'Hey honey' my mom said, opening the door and hugging me, 'hello Nelle' she smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek. I had been worried that mom wouldn't like Nelle, but it was pretty much impossible not to love her so I was glad that the two of them had taken to each other so well.

'Leah and Eric said they'll be here at six, they're probably busy doing…other things' I said grinning as Nelle elbowed me in the stomach.

'Seth, I'm not some old fashioned idiot, I know you and your sister are sexually active' she sighed and I groaned. I didn't want my mom thinking about whether or not my sister and I were…active. Hell, I didn't even want to think about Eric and Leah at all, it was bad enough having to hear them I thought, shuddering. What did that mean anyway, _active_? It sounded bizarre, like we flip a switch and suddenly become raging sexual deviants or something.

'Oh we haven't…umm…you know' I muttered, suppressing the urge to blush at the idea of talking to my mom about sex. 'We're uh…waiting for…' I trailed off, looking to Nelle for help but she just stood there, looking anywhere but at me and trying not to laugh.

'He's a virgin mom' Leah laughed, coming in from the back door, 'we finished shopping early because _someone_ thought it would be a good idea to get us kicked out of the shop' Leah growled, glaring at Eric who just grinned back.

'Hey, I was just standing up for society! Who on earth makes food that expensive just because it's organic? Back in my day we grew that food for free' he explained shrugging.

'That doesn't mean you should have thrown a bag of potatoes at the manager, you're a bloody vampire you moron, you could have killed him!' she argued, crossing her arms over her chest.

'I only threw them lightly. Besides, he was _huge_, he could take it' he shrugged and I burst out laughing, he was perfect for Leah, every time she got into an argument he was easily able to shrug it off and let her run out of steam. She calmed down a bit, rolling her eyes at his grin but relenting when he kissed her. 'Haven't I told you that I love it when you tell me off, it's like you're a sexy school teacher' he murmured, nibbling at her neck and she giggled.

'Dude, come on! That's my sister, please refrain from being all gross in front of me' I moaned, clapping my hand over my eyes as they laughed at me.

'You and Nelle are worse sometimes, even if you are waiting for the _perfect time_' Leah teased, yelping when I chased after her into the garden.

'Children! Dinner's ready. Seth, Leah, stop acting like a pair of morons and get your asses in here now' my mom yelled from the doorway as Nelle and Eric laughed at our fight.

I got up, wiping the grass from my trousers and went back into the house, nudging Leah when she elbowed me in the ribs. We settled around the dining table as Charlie came in, still in his police jacket. He took his seat at the end of the table, glancing nervously at me and Leah as my mom dished the food out. I raised my eyebrow at Leah, seeing if she knew why he was so edgy but she just shrugged and took a forkful or mashed potato.

Dinner passed without any incident, we talked about various mundane topics like the weather. This was normal, mom felt a bit strange talking about pack matters or vampire matters so we usually kept the conversation pretty vague unless it was something she needed to know. There was a football game on tonight so I was expecting Charlie to go off and watch it as Nelle helped my mom clear the table so I wasn't surprised when he kissed my mom on the cheek and went into the living room. I was a bit curious however when I heard his voice in the other room calling out to me and Leah, quietly so that my mom couldn't hear.

'Seth, Leah, could you come in here for a second?' he asked, knowing we could easily hear him despite the noise of the television. I looked at Leah but she didn't seem to know what was going on either, I shrugged and left the kitchen, heading into the tiny living room where Charlie was sitting in an armchair, ringing his hands nervously. Leah followed me in, closing the door after her before taking a seat next to me on the sofa. I faced Charlie, waiting for whatever it was he needed to say.

'So…what is it Charlie? Are you alright?' I asked, watching as he rubbed his neck nervously and tapped his foot, opening his mouth a couple of times as if searching for words. We sat there patiently as the seconds ticked by, giving him a chance to gather his thoughts.

'Okay, well here goes…' he began, gulping 'I love you mom, you know that right?' he asked and we nodded, 'and I don't want to replace your dad, he was a close friend of mine and I know I'll never take his place in her heart' he said and I leant forward, patting him on the shoulder.

'We don't think you're trying to replace him, she misses dad but I know she loves you as well, we all do' I said and Leah smiled in agreement. Charlie seemed to relax a little and took in a breath.

'I've been thinking about how to go about this, and I figure this is the best way…' he continued, looking from me to Leah, 'I want to ask your mom to marry me but I thought it best to ask your permission first. I know it's not the normal way but I'm sort of old fashioned and I made the mistake of rushing into marriage with Rene; don't get me wrong, I love Bella, but I was so young when we got married and I never really took the time to go about it the right way. I wanna do it properly this time, so I thought I'd ask for her…hand' he mumbled, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks. He didn't seem like Charlie the police chief or Charlie Bella's father right now, he seemed more like a nervous young man asking a scary father for their daughter's hand in marriage. I smiled back at him and looked at Leah who was grinning widely too.

'If you want to marry mom that's fine with us, we'd love for you be officially a part of the family, even though you already are' Leah said and Charlie smiled at her.

'I don't know why I was so worried, I guess I was afraid you'd think I wouldn't make her happy' he grumbled, sitting back in his seat.

'Oh you already make her happy' I assured him then I straightened up slightly, 'but if you hurt our mom we will have to kill you' I said and he seemed confused for a second before I burst out laughing, punching him in the arm, 'relax Charlie, jeez, just because we're werewolves don't mean we're going to eat you. Though I'm not so sure about Leah though' I chuckled and ducked to avoid a pillow.

'Thanks guys, I really do love her. But um, could you not tell Bella about this yet, I know Edward probably already knows and so does Alice, but I want to tell her myself you know' he smiled gently and I nodded.

'When are you planning on doing it?' Leah asked, sitting forward in her seat. He was about to answer when we were interrupted by Eric.

'Hey guys, um, Sue is getting a bit suspicious so she's probably going to be coming in shortly. She asked me what you were talking about so I told her that you were asking for advice on what to get her for her birthday, so that's the story if she asks' Eric grinned, winking at Charlie before closing the door again. Sure enough, a couple of seconds later my mom came in with a tray of coffee, clearly using it as an excuse to see what we were up to.

'Hey honey, want some coffee?' she asked, looking at Charlie suspiciously who reddened slightly but took the coffee anyway, thanking her as he avoided her gaze. 'How about you two?' she asked, holding the tray out in front of us and fixing us with another questioning glare, the type of glare which could usually get the truth out of anyone. I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her stare and shook my head.

'No thanks mom, um…me and Nelle need to be heading back now, we promised Carlisle that we'd help him paint his…office' I hedged as she scrutinised me. Leah stood up as well and came over to the door.

'Yeah he uh can't get the colour right so we'll be going now bye' she said and rushed out of the door, I followed quickly behind her to where Nelle and Eric were waiting for us in the garden.

'You two suck at lying by the way' Eric said rolling his eyes and Nelle laughed.

'You don't know our mother. I swear if she worked for the police they'd always get a confession' I laughed, taking a hold of Nelle's hand as we all began running back towards the Cullen house.

I had completely forgotten that Angela's parents were coming over tonight; it was almost eight so when we got into the living room the Cullen's were already all sitting around, waiting for them to arrive. I took a seat next to Anthony and Paige, pulling Nelle into my lap as Leah and Eric went and sat next to Katlyn, who was curled up next to Thomas. I wondered what the Weber's would think about Nahuel, they knew that Angela and Ben had been broken up for a while but I didn't know how they would react to her dating a hybrid. It must be quite strange for them to find out about their daughter being a vampire, but now they were also going to be finding out about werewolves and hybrids. If I were them I think my head would explode with all the new information. My attention was brought to the sound of a car coming up the driveway and I swivelled in my seat as Carlisle got up to answer the door, opening it to reveal a nervous looking Mr and Mrs Weber.

'You've changed the house, it looks…lovely' Mrs. Weber breathed, handing her coat to Carlisle when he gestured for it.

'Thank you Leanne, we only just remodelled' Esme smiled, coming over to stand by Carlisle.

'It's very beautiful, and so big. But I suppose it would have to be to fit all of you. Just how many people are there in your family?' she asked, her eyes widening at the sight of all of us on the couches.

'Well there's me and Esme, Alice and her husband Jasper with their daughter Maddy, Edward and his wife Bella with their daughter Nessie, Rose, her husband Emmett and their twins Elsie and Zack' Carlisle began, gesturing to each person before taking another breath, 'Jacob and Seth I believe you have met as well, the young woman on Seth's lap is his mate Nelle. Then there's Eric and his sister Katlyn and their mates Leah and Thomas, Anthony and his mate Paige, and then there's Nahuel who is…' he trailed off, looking to Angela to see if she wanted her parents to know what Nahuel was to her.

'Nahuel is my mate mom' Angela answered, standing up and pulling Nahuel over to her parents.

'Mate?' she asked, looking between them and then curiously.

'Like soul mate, that's what happens with Vampires. We find the person who's our soul mate and it's an instant bond. You've seen it with all of the Cullens' she explained, gesturing to Carlisle and Esme who smiled back at her.

'That's so…' she began and I could see Angela brace herself, probably worried that her parents would think it was too soon after Ben or that she was too young, '_romantic_' she breathed and chuckled, Angela visibly relaxed.

'I forgot how much you like your romance novels mom' she laughed, hugging her. 'Why don't you come sit down, dinner will be ready soon' she said, leading them over to the sofas and nudging me so I'd make room. I rolled my eyes and scooted over, trying to manoeuvre so that Nelle didn't fall off my lap.

We sat on the sofas for a while, telling the Webers about the lives of vampires, they were less surprised than I thought they would be when they learned about the pack, but I suppose they had figured that if vampires were real, then so were other impossible things.

Nelle, Leah, Eric and I didn't join in with the meal because we'd already eaten at my mom's house earlier. Leah and Eric disappeared off to his room at some point, I hoped they wouldn't be loud; I hated having supernatural hearing sometimes. I went with Nelle into the guest room we'd been staying in, it was a nice, light room with a large soft bed to one side. The huge white wardrobe was already packed full of clothes; Alice had done it to every room of the house, accurately guessing everyone's sizes so that she could force them into fashionable clothes. I rolled my eyes at the abundance of designer shirts and trousers and pulled on an old pair of sweats that I had brought from home. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck lift up, letting me know that I was being watched, and slowly turned around to see Nelle, lying back against the bed with her hands behind her neck, smiling at me. I grinned at her, coming over and sitting next to her on the bed.

'Hey gorgeous, like what you see' I asked, wiggling my eyebrows at her as she laughed, a beautiful sound that was like music to my ears.

'Maybe…' she said softly, biting her bottom lip as she grinned up at me, 'you certainly put on quite a show'.

'Oh really' I murmured, leaning down over her, 'most people have to pay to see that, I think you owe me some money' I whispered, placing a gentle kiss against her lips and feeling her smile grow. I moaned when the kiss grew deeper, her arms wrapping around my neck as we sank into the bed. She was like heaven to me, the warmth I felt when she touched me was like a blissful fire that I was only too happy to be consumed by. It was very difficult to control myself this way, I had told her that I wanted to wait until we were married, but I think she had suspected that the real reason why I held back was because I had never…_been_ with anyone so to speak. Her breathing became faster as my hands went over her body, holding her close as her sweet scent enveloped me, making my head spin. I broke away, gasping for breath because I had forgotten to breathe again.

'You know…'she whispered, brushing my hair back off my face, 'we don't have to wait. I know that I can't wait to be with you…_completely_' she said as I caught her hand, bringing it to my lips.

'I know it's just…um, I've never…you know' I mumbled, glancing away as I felt the heat spread through my cheeks. She sighed and propped herself up on her elbow, taking my chin in her hand and turning my head so that I had to look at her.

'Me neither you idiot, I was sort of waiting for the right person' she smiled and I frowned at her.

'Me?' I asked, causing her to huff.

'Unless you can see any other handsome werewolves in here, though I dunno…that Embry really is quite tasty' she trailed off, grinning at me when I growled.

'Oh if you think I'm gonna let you anywhere near him now, you've got another thing coming' I growled playfully and she laughed.

'I'm just saying Seth, I love you. I don't care if it's the imprint or whatever, I think even if there wasn't that bond I would still fall for you. Even though you are a moron sometimes' she said poking me in the chest, 'but you don't need to think that I'm just going to run off if you're _inexperienced_, I'm worried about it to. But it's you and me, as long as our first time is with each other, it's going to be amazing' she sighed, reaching up to place her hand against my cheek and giving me a soft smile. I so wanted to be with her, in every way. I had been so worried, but she was right. We were perfect for each other in every way, why should this be any different.

'Well now that you put it like that…' I smiled, trailing a finger down her neck which caused her to shiver. I kissed her again, allowing myself to give up all of my restraint this time as I sank into bliss again. The heat this time was almost painful in its intensity as we barely managed to keep enough control to avoid destroying each other's clothes. She was so beautiful I thought, as I trailed kisses over her skin, causing her to laugh softly. The intense atmosphere of lust crashed over us in waves as we lost all sense of control. It felt like hours that we were locked inside the room, barely noticing the annoyed thumps on the wall every now and again as we descended into sweet oblivion. All of my worries about whether or not my inexperience would show seemed to be for nothing I thought as we slumped down on the bed, exhausted and almost feverish in temperature.

'That was so much better than I thought it would be' I panted, trying to control my breathing, Nelle slapped my chest and laughed.

'What's that supposed to mean?' she growled playfully, curling up by my side.

'You know I didn't mean that' I yawned, tracing circles on her shoulder. 'I was worried something bad would happen you know, like you'd laugh or fall asleep or something' I shrugged and she smiled at me.

'Well, now that you mention it…' she chuckled and now it was my turn to gasp, 'I'm joking I'm joking, it was wonderful Seth. I feel kinda bad for Leah though, I think she was the one banging on the wall' she said, biting her lip.

'Well she deserves it after what I've had to put up with' I said loudly, hearing an annoyed grumble from Eric's room down the hall. I chuckled and yawned again, trying to stop my eyes from closing. I looked down to see that Nelle was almost asleep as well so I pulled the covers up, stroking the hair from her face as she lay against my chest, her breathing becoming deep.

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><p>I awoke with the sunrise the next morning; the curtains in the room were quite thin so the light easily roused me from my sleep. I looked down at Nelle, who was sprawled on her stomach with her midnight coloured hair strewn across the pillow. No wonder I was feeling sore, I noticed that I had been sleeping squished up against the wall because Nelle had spread her body out, taking up over three quarters of the bed. I chuckled to myself and manoeuvred out of the bed, trying not to wake her as I attempted to navigate the mass of arms and legs. Unfortunately I had failed to watch out for the covers; I was at the edge of the bed when I realised that one corner of the sheet was wrapped around my ankle and in an attempt to untangle myself I ended up falling to the floor with a loud bang.<p>

'What was that?' Nelle yawned before she spotted me lying on the floor, my leg still held prisoner by the sheet. She burst into laughter, holding the rest of sheet up to cover herself as she yanked it off my leg. 'I thought you wolves were supposed to be all graceful and crap' she chuckled, climbing out of bed as I picked myself up.

'I wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't have been taking over the bed, it was like trying to climb over a freaking octopus' I grinned and she rolled her eyes, picking a towel out of the cupboard.

'Stop blaming me for your mistakes honey, it's not my fault you're an idiot' she laughed, sticking her tongue out and escaping into the bathroom when I threw a pillow at her.

We went down for breakfast after our shower, it was pretty difficult to concentrate on actually washing but we managed to get dressed eventually, giggling as we ran down the stairs. We entered the kitchen to a group of knowing faces, smirking at us as they were eating their breakfast or, in the case of the Cullens, cooking. Emmett came over and slapped me on the back, winking as I fought the urge to blush. I carefully avoided all of their gazes and filled mine and Nelle's plates with scrambled eggs and toast, taking a seat next to Jake as Nelle followed me to the table.

'So….have fun last night?' Jake asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Bella elbowed him in the ribs and smiled apologetically at me before turning back to her book. There was silence for a few seconds as Nelle and I dug into our breakfast, I was absolutely starving. Nessie came into the room, taking the seat next to Bella and picking up a piece of toast. She looked at us for a second and then her brow knitted together, as if she were trying to remember something, she pursed her lips together in thought and then grimaced.

'Did you and auntie Nelle have…_intercourse_? She gasped, looking appalled. The entire room burst out laughing, unable to hold in their amusement any longer. I groaned and slumped my head on the table, straightening up to look at Nessie suspiciously.

'And how did you hear about that young lady?' Bella asked, raising an eyebrow as she placed down her book, she shrugged and took a bite of her toast, turning to answer her mom.

'I read in a book about how babies were made and then I remembered when I heard Auntie rose and Uncle Emmett playing 'grown up' games before Elsie and Zack came' she answered and Edward grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

'Ah dammit, I was hoping to avoid that for the next…fifty years' he groaned, rolling his eyes.

'Well look at it this way' Bella sighed, 'at least we won't have to give her the _talk_' she said and laughed quietly. 'How about we change the subject?' she asked and I gave her grateful smile. The conversation moved on then, much to mine and Nelle's relief, as we ate our breakfast.

I looked over at Nelle as she ate her toast, giving her a warm smile when she turned to look at me. Embarrassment and total lack of privacy aside, I was glad that we had taken another step in our relationship. I knew I would marry her someday; she was my perfect companion, my other half.

I couldn't wait for the rest of our lives to begin.


	27. Lauren

**A/N: Looong chapter here chaps (I really need to stop using weird pet names for people). Anyway, I got kind of carried away when writing in Lauren's POV so I apologise. Have fun and please review…please?**

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><p>Chapter 27: Bella's POV<p>

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><p>Angela's parents were coming over for dinner tonight.<p>

I was a little nervous to say the least. Not because I thought we'd accidentally eat them or anything, I just remembered my first time coming to the Cullen house; I knew how unsettling it was when you were a lamb walking into the lion's den. I was worried that they would be too nervous to be able to see that Angela was happy. Even though they had taken the news of vampires pretty well, I couldn't help but dread that they may have changed their good attitude over the last day. I suppose we would have to wait and see, hopefully they wouldn't freak out or anything.

Seth and Leah came back at about five to eight, they gave me a weird smile that made me curious, but I ignored it, watching as they took a seat on the sofa. Seth and Nelle looked so lovely together; it made me think of how Jake and Nessie could one day end up. Eric and Leah however, they were worse than Rose and Emmett sometimes, and that was saying something. I rolled my eyes as they not-so-subtly played footsy with each other as Seth tried to ignore the giggling.

I was alerted to the sound of a car pulling into our driveway, accompanied by two new heartbeats as the Webers pulled up to our house. Carlisle went over to answer the door, taking their coats and making small talk with them. Mrs Weber thought it was odd that we had so many people living here, and now that she had mentioned it, it did seem a bit strange. I suppose I was just so used to being around a large group of family that I didn't see it as odd any more. Carlisle made the lengthy introductions, they had already met several of the wolves at my wedding and I noticed that they calmly took all the knowledge, filing it away so that it didn't overwhelm them.

When Carlisle got to Nahuel I froze, they had only recently properly gotten together, and I mean yesterday. So I wondered how they would react to the idea that their newly vampire daughter had found her lifelong mate, and then there was also Ben. I knew that Angela and Ben had been distant for a while before he died and I knew that Angela no longer blamed herself. But I was concerned that her parents, and other people in Forks, would think that she was being reckless or disrespectful to his memory by moving on so fast. I waited to see if she would pass him off as a friend or tell them the truth, looking between Mrs Webber and my friend.

'Nahuel is my mate mom' Angela sighed, walking over to her parents with Nahuel in tow, who looked more than a little anxious himself. I waited for the reaction after she explained what exactly being her _mate_ meant. Would they be angry, confused, disappointed or what? I didn't know.

'That's so…_romantic'_ she sighed and I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding, smiling at Angela who grinned and hugged her mom.

'I forgot how much you like your romance novels' she laughed, bringing her parents over to the sofas where they sat next to Seth and Nelle.

Esme went into the kitchen to finish dinner, calling us in when it was all dished out. We sat around the table, those of us with supernatural hearing trying to ignore the sounds coming from upstairs, Emmett was trying and failing to withhold his laughter and I rolled my eyes at him.

'So, you have children now. How long have you been married?' Mrs Weber asked Rose, who had Zack sitting on her lap.

'Oh it'll be seventy five years in August' she smiled, passing Zack another colouring pencil. The Webers both audibly gulped, staring at Rose in bewilderment.

'You only look barely eighteen…oh yeah vampires' Mr Weber mumbled while Emmett laughed.

They had a lot of questions about our lives, how we hunted and how often, did we explode in the sunlight and if holy objects worked; the usual types of questions. Carlisle patiently explained all the ins and outs of being a vampire before Jacob told them about the pack and how their shifting worked. By the end of dinner they'd barely touched any of their food, they looked too nervous to eat as they stood up, faces pale and eyes swimming with information overload.

'Um Angela, I think it's best that you send them home now, I think they need some time to…adjust' I whispered, remembering how worried I had been that Charlie would have a heart attack when we told him everything. She nodded and gave me a gentle smile, moving over to her mom's side and pulling her into a hug.

'It's getting late; I think you should go home and rest. You've had a lot to deal with over the last couple of days' she smiled as her parents nodded absent-mindedly. 'Besides, if you don't get home soon you know that the twins will have destroyed the house' she chuckled and her mom seemed to shake off her daze a little.

'Oh god, I forgot that we left the gas connected, last time that happened we had to repaint the kitchen' she gasped, grabbing her coat from Carlisle and rushing over to the door, she stopped, seeming to remember something and her face fell into a sad smile. 'Angela honey, the uh…the funeral is tomorrow. I'm sorry we forgot to tell you but what with everything that's been happening…' she trailed off, looking at her daughter.

'It's okay mom, I'll be there' Angela whispered, giving her a hug again. Her parents kissed her goodbye and headed out the door, we waited to hear the sound of their car safely reach the road before moving back into the kitchen to clean up.

'Are you sure you'll be okay going to the funeral, Edward and I will probably be going so you won't be alone' I said, pulling her into a hug. She sighed and shot a glance at Nahuel, who was loading the dishwasher.

'I'll be okay; I just don't like the idea of pretending that I'm not with Nahuel. I can't exactly turn up with my new boyfriend, but I think I'll feel more secure if he's there' she said, I could understand her dilemma. She needed to go to the funeral but at the same time she needed Nahuel to help her get through it, but she knew that if she brought him then people would talk. It was Forks after all, small towns were like that.

'You've got to think about it this way, the only people who will judge you will be people who frankly don't matter. Ben knew you cared about him, so does his family, they won't think any worse of you for being with someone else almost a month after you broke up. It's up to you Angela, if you think that the only problem is that people will talk then you can ignore them' I told her and she nodded sighing.

'Man, tomorrow's gonna suck' she whispered and I squeezed her shoulder.

'Nothing's ever easy in this family' I chuckled, 'come on let's go make sure that Jake hasn't eaten everything, we'll need something to bring to the wake'.

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><p>The next morning the sun was gone, covered in grey clouds as if it knew that it was a day of mourning. We sat around the breakfast table in companionable silence; well some of us were silent. Emmett and Jake were busy sniggering at Seth and Nelle who were trying to hide their blushes by digging quietly into their breakfast. Nessie was looking at Seth and Nelle, a look of contemplation on her face.<p>

'Did you and auntie Nelle have…_intercourse?_' she gasped, a look of shock and dismay on her little face. The barely covered sniggering suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter as almost everyone in the kitchen guffawed.

'And how did you hear about that young lady?' I asked; I knew she was intelligent, but Edward and I had been hoping to avoid this whole area of discussion for a while.

'I read in a book about how babies were made and then I remembered when I heard Auntie rose and Uncle Emmett playing 'grown up' games before Elsie and Zack came' she answered and I looked over at Edward who grumbled.

'Ah dammit, I was hoping to avoid that for the next…fifty years' he groaned and I chuckled.

'Well look at it this way' I sighed, 'at least we won't have to give her the _talk_' I reasoned, shooting Jake and Emmett an exasperated look as they continued to laugh. 'How about we change the subject?' I asked as Seth gave me a grateful smile, his face still flushed in embarrassment. I looked over at the clock on the wall, it was almost half nine in the morning, the funeral service was at quarter past ten so we'd probably have to go soon. I leant over and rubbed Nessie's hair, laughing when she grumbled at me, her mouth full of toast.

'You ready Ang?' I asked as she came in, Alice had given her a simple black dress; I was glad that she hadn't made it too glitzy or revealing. Even Alice understood that sometimes understated was the better option.

'Yeah, Carlisle is just getting the car, he said to be out front in five minutes' she mumbled, leaning her head on Nahuel's shoulder. I could tell she was downplaying how nervous she was; she had already made her peace with Ben's death, but the idea of seeing everyone again and being surrounded by grief, all while people stared at her and Nahuel, was weighing on her. Thomas was coming as well; he said he wanted to covertly help Ben's parents through the grief. I thought it was a good idea; he would be able to ease their pain with a simple handshake, all the while they would never guess why they suddenly felt less distraught by their son's death.

We headed into town for the service, arriving outside Mr Weber's church just after ten. There were several black cars and a crowd of people gathered around the front of the church. I looked over at Angela who was sitting in the back seat with Nahuel, clasping his hand in a grip that I could tell was bone crushing, though Nahuel didn't show any discomfort. Carlisle and Esme had taken a different car and I could see them now, pulling up behind us. I opened the door, glancing at Angela as she took in a deep breath, steeling herself before following us out of the car and towards the church. I was right in thinking that we would get a few looks, most of these people hadn't seen me since my wedding and I heard them whispering about mine and Angela's change in appearance. Even though she was wearing the coloured contacts again, her skin was impossible to ignore. The black dress seemed to emphasise her paleness as she took a seat next to her mom. Edward and I slid in after Nahuel, watching as Carlisle, Esme and Thomas took a pew at the back of the church. I could hear murmurs now, wondering who the handsome dark skinned man was with Angela and why she had brought a date to a funeral. I watched as she tensed as Lauren's not so quiet whispers floated over from the front of the church where she, Jessica and Mike were sitting. Her nasal voice drifted across the pews, though we had vampire hearing, I had a feeling we would have heard her even if we were still human.

'Look at her, it's appalling. Who does she think she is coming to Ben's funeral with some random guy? And what's she doing with the Cullens, do you think she's living with them?' she hissed, glaring back at us as we pretended not to hear. I noticed Angela stiffen slightly but she relaxed when Nahuel stroked his thumb against her palm and she leant her head against him, heaving a sigh.

The service went quite quickly, Mr Weber made a brief speech before Ben's mom said a few words, barely able to speak from all the tears by the time her husband came and collected her from the stand. We were all ushered outside, the rain making the atmosphere feel even bleaker as the coffin was lowered into the ground, surrounded by a huddled mass of mourners all crying as they held onto each other. It was just as you would picture a funeral; the rain, the swarm of black umbrellas and the collection of flowers strewn over the coffin as it was lowered into the ground. I noticed my dad and Sue were on the other side of the group; he smiled sadly at me as the crowd shuffled off to their cars, heading back to the Cheney's house where they were holding a reception.

'Mr and Mrs Cheney, I am so sorry for your loss' Thomas murmured, shaking their hands. They didn't notice that he held on to them slightly longer than normal, they barely even noticed his cold temperature as they blinked wearily. I watched, a small smile playing on my lips as I noticed what seemed like a huge weight lift of Mrs Cheney's shoulders. She didn't smile, and the mist of tears were still in her eyes but she looked less pale, the shroud of desolation that had been smothering her and her husband had lifted and I could see the light of acceptance in their eyes as they moved on to speak to Carlisle and Esme.

'He's getting quite talented' Edward whispered from my side, nodding his head over at Thomas who had moved off to talk to Ben's grandma. I nodded in agreement and nestled against his side, breathing in his scent as I watched the groups of people mill around. Angela and Nahuel went up to talk to Ben's parents, I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

'I'm…sorry for your loss Mrs Cheney, I know that we were no longer together, but I still cared for Ben a lot. I just wish I could've done something more' she whispered, jumping when Mrs Cheney hugged her tight.

'Shh Angie, there was nothing you could have done. He's in a better place now. But know that you'll always be part of our family' she murmured then glanced at Nahuel and gave a little smile, 'no matter what anyone might be saying' she whispered and Angela gave her a shaky smile, stepping out of the hug. I breathed a sigh of relief; I had been listening to people's malicious grumbles about Angela dating someone else since the funeral service, so I was relieved that the Cheney's didn't share the same judgmental opinions. I noticed that Angela's shoulders also relaxed, she had been worried about the same thing. She gave Mr Cheney a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before coming over to join us.

'I told you' I whispered to her as I hugged her to my side, 'the only people who are judging you are the idiots like Lauren and Jessica and we both know they're a couple of morons whose opinions don't matter' I told her and she gave out a short chuckle.

'I suppose, I don't know why I got so worked up. It's just difficult having to hear her gossiping all the time' she grumbled, looking over at Edward, 'how the hell did you manage having to listen to her thoughts for so long?' she asked, raising an eyebrow as Edward lips curved up in a grim smile and he rolled his eyes.

'Trust me, I came _this_ close to breaking the whole _don't feed off humans_ rule' he whispered, holding his thumb and finger apart to emphasize his point, 'I don't think anyone would have blamed me' he told her and I let out a small chuckle, being careful not to allow the image of Edward launching himself at Lauren amuse me too much, we were at a funeral after all.

You know they say _speak of the devil and he shall appear_, well in the case of Lauren, she appears and the devil runs away in terror I thought as we watched apprehensively as Lauren, Jessica and Mike made their way towards us. I noticed that Lauren was wearing a dress that was mostly black, except for the red sequins that weaved through it. I raised my eyebrow at her choice of garment, trust her to try and upstage everyone at a bloody funeral.

'Hello Angela, Bella. Hi Edward…' she smiled, lingering on my husband as I suppressed the urge to hiss, Edward squeezed my hand reassuringly and I relaxed a little, steadying myself for whatever venom that Lauren was planning to spread. 'I see you didn't take your time moving on Angela, don't you think that's a bit thoughtless of you?' she said in her nasally voice, looking at Nahuel and clearly enjoying the sight. He straightened up, pulling Angela closer to him and glared down at her.

'Ben and I were broken up long before I met Nahuel Lauren, besides, I don't see how it's any of your business' she said, standing her ground. Lauren clearly didn't like the idea that Angela wasn't cowering around her, the shyness from school was almost gone as she straightened up and looked down at Lauren, who was a few inches shorter than her. Lauren bristled and crossed her arms, glancing between us.

'So I see you joined the freak family then, I'm not surprised, you always did like to spend time with them' she said, glaring at us. 'It's disrespectful to Ben's memory to bring them here, you're obviously just as sick and twisted as the rest of them' she said, looking me up and down and I found myself wanting to throttle her. I was about to say something back when we were interrupted by Austin, Ben's best friend and neighbour, who had obviously heard the exchange and was coming over.

'Oh shut up Lauren, we all know you're just jealous because the Cullens knew you were too much of a bitch to hang out with them. And you don't have any right to talk about who does and doesn't disrespect Ben's memory when you're the one I heard spreading rumours that he was dealing drugs when he got killed' Austin growled, looking down his nose at Lauren as she paled.

'That…wasn't what I meant...I just…' she stammered, a flush creeping up her cheeks when she realised she'd been caught out.

'You what?' Angela hissed, stepping up to her as she tried to back away. 'You dare come to us and tell us that _we_ are disrespecting him when _you_ have been trying to convince people he was some degenerate drug dealer. What possible reason could you have to want to spread those types of lies? Who the hell do you think you are?' She growled trying to keep the volume down although we had already attracted quite a crowd; Mrs Cheney came through, her face red with fury as she marched up to us. I thought that she was going to have a go at us for making a scene but she turned on Lauren instead, shaking with anger.

'So you're the one that has been spreading those lies about my son?' She spat, rounding on Lauren whose mouth flapped open and closed as she tried to think of an excuse.

'It wasn't me Mrs Cheney, I um…heard it somewhere else and I was just…worried that people would think badly of Ben' she spluttered, looking to Jessica and Mike for help who just shook their heads at her.

'You know I always knew you were a bit of a bitch Lauren but I always thought there was a line' Jessica whispered and then looked at Mrs Cheney apologetically, 'I'm sorry Mrs Cheney, I'd heard her telling people but she told me she had overheard you talking about it, I see now that she just made it up for some sick joke' Jessica said, glaring at Lauren and moving away from her. I may not have liked Jessica much, but that was mostly because of the way she was around Lauren. Now that she had separated from her, I hoped that she would become a nicer person; she'd already grown in my opinion, just by standing up to her.

'Out! I want you out now! How dare you come in here and tell people that my son was a drug dealer, and for what, your own sick pleasure? Go!' Mrs Cheney yelled, oblivious to the fact that all the friends and family were now staring, watching angrily as Lauren blushed crimson and ran for the door, Mike and Jessica looked anxious, unsure as to whether or not they were still welcome. Mrs Cheney sighed and the anger left her face, turning to look at them. 'You two are welcome to stay, though I'd suggest being careful to pick better friends in the future. Now I want some chocolate cake, Austin, you want to join me?' she asked and went off towards the food, leaving everyone to gradually return to their previous conversations.

'I'm sorry guys, I know we've been horrible to you the last few years but I really do want to be friends. And you two Angela, I don't care that you brought Nahel? Is it?' she asked then shrugged, 'either way he's gorgeous' she smiled and I looked to Edward to see if she was being sincere.

'She really does feel bad about Lauren and she's grown up a lot, Mike still fancies you slightly but he does actually love Jessica. They really just want to make up' he murmured so low that only Angela and I could hear him, I smiled and rolled my eyes, turning back to Jessica.

'It's okay Jess, you wanna go get a drink?' I asked and she grinned at me, dragging me and Angela over to the tables where the food and drinks were. It was strange talking to Jessica again, but Edward was right…she had matured a lot and Mike didn't ogle me nearly as much as he used to, in fact I'd probably say they were in real love. It was sweet. I noticed Edward looked a bit stressed out as he talked to Mr Weber, he appeared to a casual observer to be relaxed and interested in the conversation but I could see the strain in his eyes and the miniscule furrow in his brow. I went over and placed a soft kiss against his cheek, wrapping my arm around him as Mr Weber turned to talk to Angela.

'Are you okay? You look a bit stressed honey' I whispered, looking up to see him smile painfully down at me.

'Yeah I'm okay…it's just a little crowded in here if you know what I mean' he said, tapping his temple to show what he meant. I nodded in understanding and reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes, smiling up at him. I knew it could get quite uncomfortable being surrounded by so many minds, usually he was okay with it but when they were all in a cramped space like now it could become a little overwhelming for him, it didn't help that we were also surrounded by body heat, grief and the scent of blood.

'Why don't you go outside and get a little fresh air or something, I'll come and get you in a bit' I smiled, stroking his cheek before he gave me quick kiss and left out the back door.

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><p>Lauren POV:<p>

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><p>'Out! I want you out now! How dare you come in here and tell people that my son was a drug dealer, and for what, your own sick pleasure? Go!' Mrs Cheney yelled at me and I could feel the eyes of everyone on us, I felt unwanted heat flood my face and I decided to get the hell out of here.<p>

I was planning on leaving anyway so I think I'll just go wait outside for Jess and Mike. Maybe I could go to Tyler's house but he was at home sick and I didn't really want to catch anything from him, even though he was my boyfriend I really couldn't be bothered with the whole act of nursing a pathetic sick person, it was gross. That stupid asshole Austin, who does he think he is? Not my fault that Forks is a boring shit hole and the only way to entertain myself is to make life a little more…dramatic. It's not like what I told people couldn't be true, I mean, why else were they in that part of Seattle right? He could have easily been there dealing so there was no way they could be sure I wasn't right. But Austin just _had_ to go and make a fool out of me and accuse me of making it up for fun, I mean sure…that is why I did it but there was no possible way he could have known that. He was just pissed that I never wanted to sleep with him, that's must be what it was.

I could hear them all inside still, where were Jessica and Mike? Why hadn't they come out to see me already? It's not like they were even that close to Ben…where they? I didn't care really, either way they were _supposed_ to be coming out here for me…where were they? I busied myself with thoughts of William, a guy that worked in town at the mechanics. He was really hot but he had a girlfriend, not that it mattered much because I had Tyler but he didn't need to know anything. It was relatively easy to get guys to do what I wanted, apart from that damn Edward Cullen though; he annoyed me.

I could tell that he wanted me but that prude Isabella Swan was always clinging onto him, she probably tricked him into getting her pregnant or something; that was the only way that she could have gotten him to marry her. I doubted she was even that good in bed, although maybe she was…plain girls tended to have to put in more effort. _She's not plain though, she's prettier than you_ a little voice whispered through my mind but I ignored it, he obviously couldn't like her that much, after all…he had left her a couple of years ago and I assumed he had just gotten bored with her. Maybe he felt trapped; I could offer him a way out, if only she would piss off and stop hanging onto his arm like some pathetic leech. I shrugged and settled myself on a bench by the pavement, pulling out my phone to text William.

_Hey babe_

_How's it going? _

_I've been thinking about you ; )_

_Wanna meet up?_

_Lauren xxx_

That sounded casual enough didn't it? He would take my mind of Edward for a while I thought, smiling when my phone vibrated a couple of minutes later.

_Lauren I've told you this before, I have a girlfriend_

_Please stop texting me_

_I'm not interested_

_Sorry_

_Will_

I growled and shoved my phone back in my purse, he was obviously just scared his precious little girlfriend would find out, she probably read his texts or something so he would most likely wait until he could come and see me in person. Yes, that was it…I could wear that sexy lingerie I bought in Port Angeles last weekend, it was too good to waste on Tyler and I wondered briefly what Edward Cullen would think if he could see me in it, he'd probably come running in a heartbeat. I heard a muffled laugh in the distance and spun around, spotting Edward himself leaning against the side of a house and turning away quickly.

'Hey Edward…Edward wait up' I called, running up behind him; he must not have heard me because he kept walking back towards the Cheney house. How on earth could he walk so fast? I was practically gasping for air when I finally managed to catch up with him, grabbing his arm and getting his attention at last. He stiffened under my touch and I could have sworn I heard him growl, he must feel the sexual tension already, that's the only thing that could explain his reaction.

'What do you want Lauren? Weren't you kicked out?' he smiled and I had to control my heart as it beat faster, there was something slightly dangerous about his expression but I loved a bit of a bad boy so it just made him hotter.

'It was a misunderstanding, that's all Eddie' I sighed, flicking my hair out in a way that I knew was flirtatious, I had just gotten my hair highlighted so I knew that it looked good, even on a cloudy day like this. I thought I saw him flinch slightly when I called him Eddie but it was probably only because he was nervous about being caught out here with me. Maybe we could sneak into the woods and…do things. I pictured myself in so many different positions, I knew he would be good if he pinned me against a tree or maybe we could go back to my house and…

'It wasn't a misunderstanding Lauren' he practically hissed and I raised an eyebrow at him, broken out of my fantasy by his beautiful voice, 'I know full well that you are a vindictive and selfish person who takes joy in causing unnecessary pain to others'. Well that was obviously something someone told him to get in my way, probably Bella.

'Look I don't know what your girlfriend told you but I'm not like that' I whispered, stepping closer and adjusting so he could see down my top. 'I know you're unhappy, I see the way you look at me' I smiled, trailing my finger up his arm as he took a step back.

'First of all she is my _wife_ and I love her more than anything, she is beautiful and loving and I would give anything for her. If you think for even a second you could compare to her than you sadly mistaken _Lauren_, you are nothing and I wouldn't touch you in a million years' he spat, hitting my hand away…playing hard to get. I chuckled and stepped closer, noticing that he moved backwards to avoid me, probably afraid that someone might see. I decided to take my chance and gripped his hair, pulling closer so that I could kiss him; there was no way for him to deny our chemistry once he tasted me…that I was sure of.

He was quite strong though, for some reason he was able to keep me away and push me back, growling when I fell back onto the grass. He seemed to be visibly shaking with something like anger but that couldn't be right, that wasn't the reaction I would have expected from someone. I got up and brushed the grass off my dress, trying to stem the embarrassment that was threatening to bubble up.

'What is your problem Edward? I thought you wanted me' I hissed, adjusting my dress so that he may get a flash of the stockings I was wearing.

'I will never ever want you Lauren, don't you get it. You're plastic, fake blonde, caked in makeup and about the most disgusting person inside and out that I have ever had the horrible experience of meeting. Even if I wasn't insanely in love with my beautiful wife, I wouldn't ever want to go anywhere near a tramp like you' he all but yelled, sighing when the wife in question appeared out of nowhere by his side and kissed him on the lips, turning to raise her eyebrow at me.

'Thank you love' she smiled, winking at him 'I couldn't have put it better myself. I'm still disappointed that you're still so insistent that you have a chance with my husband though Lauren' she said, turning her gaze to me and tilting her head to the side, 'can't you tell that you're out of your league with him?' I narrowed my eyes at her and cleared my throat; I doubted she even knew who she was up against.

'I don't think so, but let's put it to rest shall we, once and for all. Eddie sweetie, who do you want? Me…or _her_? I asked, smiling an alluring smile and twisting my hair.

'Well there's no competition' he smiled, YES I thought, maybe now he could put the girl out of her misery and finally face facts and leave her for me, it was about time that she stopped deluding herself. 'I pick Bella; I'd pick my gorgeous wife every time. In fact…over _you_ Lauren, I'd pick a ninety year old with leprosy, they'd probably be more attractive than you' he chuckled and I felt the blood drain from my face.

'You're lying!' I yelled, stomping my foot in a manner that I knew made me look childish but I didn't care. 'Just look at her, she's so plain and boring' I spat and he looked about ready to attack me before she placed a hand on his arm, I was surprised to see that he seemed to instantly melt into her touch, what was that about?

'Oh I wouldn't say that Miss Mallory' came a gentle voice from behind me, we were on the pavement outside of the Cheney house and I worried for a second that it was Mrs Cheney come to yell at me again. I turned around and spotted a tall middle aged woman in a smart black suit walking towards us, she was quite pretty…if you liked your women with some miles on them that is, but she positively reeked of money and I wondered how she fit in with the people in this town, she was far too well dressed to be friends with any of these hillbillies.

'Who are you and how do you know my name?' I asked, raising my eyebrow and turning to face her as she came to a stop by us. She turned her red lips up into a smile and raised her delicate eyebrow at me.

'Tut tut young lady, that is no way in which to greet an elder' she chuckled, 'to answer your question, I am Vanessa Malbrooke and the reason why I know who you are is that I recognise you from the many _many_ headshots you have sent me at Harmony Models in Seattle. I went to college with poor Ben's mother so I drove down for the service' she sighed and I felt heat immediately flood my cheeks. This was the woman I had been trying to get to hire me for the last year, I immediately plastered on my most attractive smile and went to shake her hand.

'Of course Vanessa, it really is a pleasure to meet you finally. I trust you are also here to see me?' I asked as I shook her hand, she wiped her hand off on a handkerchief and scowled at me slightly, _why_, I don't know. She must be annoyed by Bella's presence.

'As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me and used my first name' she frowned before turning to face Edward and Bella. She would back me up on Bella's plainness, I mean…she was a professional, it was her _job_ to know what was and wasn't attractive. 'I couldn't help but hear this little _conversation_ and I am positively appalled' she sighed and I grinned at Bella in anticipation as she rolled her eyes at me.

'I am sorry about that Ms Malbrooke, I do see that it may have seemed slightly heated from an outside perspective' Edward smiled and I swear I saw her blush slightly.

'Indeed young man, my you are a handsome fellow aren't you. I can see what all the fuss is about' she smiled and I chuckled slightly under my breath. 'But I must say that I am disappointed' she said thoughtfully and I had to contain my grin. 'Disappointed in you Miss Mallory…' she said, turning back to me and I jumped slightly, what was she talking about?

'Wh…what?' I stuttered, confused.

'I mean seriously young lady, not that I blame you for showing interest in young…' she trailed off, waiting for Edward to introduce himself.

'Edward…and this is my wife Bella' he smiled, kissing Bella on the cheek.

'Thank you, Edward. Anyway, it is very untoward of you to throw yourself at a married man young lady. Not only is it disrespectful to him, but it is also disrespectful to his beautiful wife. And I must say, I don't know how you could think you could have a chance, just look at her, she has a face that could rival Helen of Troy herself. In fact, in all my years in the business I doubt I could think of a single person who could rival her beauty, especially not you. There is a reason why I have ignored your calls, and I am glad I did. I do not like to do business with silly little girls who are egotistical and whorish, you would do well to look in the mirror properly and realise that your plastered on make-up and fake blonde hair do nothing to detract from what is a less than average face young lady' she spoke harshly and I felt more heat fill my cheeks as she spoke down to me.

'You can't talk to me like that you-' I began only to be cut off as she raised her manicured hand.

'_Enough_ Miss Mallory' she snapped, 'I believe that you were asked to leave by Mrs Cheney and I do not know why you continue to bother these lovely people. I suggest you go home and take a good long look at yourself or…I don't know…go live in a trailer park somewhere' she smiled before turning to Edward and Bella who were trying not to laugh. I noticed with dismay that a few people were watching us from the house and I felt embarrassment take over.

Unwilling to let these nobodies see me like this I turned with my head held high, fighting off the anger that threatened to overwhelm me as I walked down the street and ignored the stares. I glanced back over my shoulder quickly, hoping no one would notice and saw the laughter erupting from everyone as they watched me leave. _Idiots _I thought. Everyone in this town would see one day. I'm Lauren Mallory and no one can treat me like this, they'll be sorry when I'm famous.

'Hello child, why are you so angry?' came a strange voice from my left, I gasped and spun around, squinting into the alley way that it came from.

'Fucking Cullens, that's why' I mumbled, hearing a chuckle in response. 'Who are you?'

'I think we've made a friend Elena' his voice whispered and I felt fear take over my body when I finally saw him, unable to move as I stood frozen to the spot and stared at his eyes.

They were the colour of blood.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know dear readers that yo****u hate cliff hangers, but this is not a cliff hanger. It is a…**_**spoiler**_** of sorts. I've decided that Lauren is a person that we just love to hate so I want to bring her back in my sequel. We won't be hearing anything else from her in this story but I thought I'd ease your curiosity and say that yes…she **_**does**_** become a vampire and yes…she'll still be a bitch.**


	28. Insane Welshmen and Growing Powers

Chapter 28: Edward's POV

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><p>We got home from the funeral in the early afternoon; the sky was still overcast, but the rain had eased up, leaving behind a thin layer of mist around the forest that made it seem almost dreamlike as we pulled into the bungalow that had become our new garage. I pulled the keys out of the ignition and looked over at Bella, the worry that had creased her brow this morning had been replaced by a gentle contentment as she looked back at Angela's reflection in the rear view mirror. I was still kept out of her mind, she was able to briefly allow me past her shield, but despite the amazing control she had over it, she still had difficulty pulling it away from herself. I didn't mind much though; it meant that she would always be protected, even if she relinquished her control over the larger shield, her own mind would stay sheltered.<p>

I heard Esme's voice, her mental one, run off in tangents. She was thinking about others as usual, her own compassion shining through as she thought of the best ways to make people happy. I could tell how she already saw Angela as another daughter, despite the fact that Angela already had a mother. There was little anyone could do to stop Esme from mothering people; it was one of the things that made her so loveable. I climbed out of the car, smiling through the kitchen window where I could see her cooking, again. Since Seth, Leah and Jake were pretty much living with us, we had been cooking more than ever. I grinned at the idea of what Esme would do if she didn't have all these new mouths to feed, she'd probably follow them back to LaPush and insist on cooking for them there.

_Ah Edward's back, just in time too. Joseph will be here soon and I know that Edward wanted to be in on the meeting._

Carlisle's own thoughts interrupted me as Bella and I walked up to the house, closely followed by Nahuel and Angela. He and Esme had left the wake early an hour or so before us, Esme had told us it was because Carlisle had work to do but I knew it was because she couldn't stand being away from her grandkids for more than a few hours. Carlisle's friend Joseph was here soon? That was good; Sam had been getting antsy waiting for him to arrive. Joseph was the vampire that had written the sort of encyclopaedia on everything supernatural and he was thrilled at the idea of coming down to meet the Quileutes and seeing the hybrids. He didn't know yet about Elsie, Zack and Maddy, but I figured that he would get excited about them as well.

'We're gonna have a visitor soon, you know that friend that Carlisle invited down, the one who wrote the book' I said and Bella nodded, 'well he's going to be here shortly so don't be shocked if a strange Welshman comes to the door' I chuckled and she raised her eyebrow.

'Welshman eh? Does that mean he's more or less insane than an Englishman?' she asked and I laughed.

'You'll see what I mean' I winked, Joseph had a habit of shocking even the most broad minded of vampires, so I looked forward to seeing their reactions to his…_eccentricities_.

'Speak of the devil…' I murmured as a multi-coloured blur sped towards us, slowing down as he approached the house. 'Hey Joe' I called to a short man; he had wiry auburn hair with a small beard and was wearing what looked like a patchwork quilt made into a waistcoat.

'Oh Edward, long time no see. How's life treatin' ya?' he asked as his gaze flicked to Bella who was grinning widely at him, I had a feeling she would like him instantly. 'And this must be your lovely wife, I'm sorry I couldn't come to the weddin' but I was in Peru tracking down some imps' he smiled, his thick Welsh accent causing the words to dance around. He came over and kissed Bella's hand theatrically. She chuckled and rolled her eyes, smiling at him when he straightened back up.

'Carlisle's in his office waiting for you, along with Sam and Jacob, the two alphas from the tribe we told you about' I said and his eyes lit up.

_Oh god, I can't believe that shifters are real. I've come across some legends in my time, and one very weird group of people who seemed to think that sacrificing goats and running around naked on a full moon made them shape shifters, but never before have I come this close to meeting a real life shifting tribe…_

His thoughts were so enthusiastic that they almost shouted out at me and I controlled a snigger at his memory of meeting the group of obviously mentally unstable people who had believed they were supernatural. It never failed to surprise me when I met those who were convinced they were vampires or werewolves, completely unaware that the weird rituals they performed or the strange black robes and eye liner were nothing like the real thing. We headed into the house, Angela and Nahuel had already gone in and were sitting in the living room watching a film with Nessie. The latter jumped at the sight of Joseph, before bursting into tiny peals of laughter at his slightly clown like appearance.

'Ah, these must be the hybrids that I've heard so much about' Joe sang, jumping onto the sofa and perching himself on the arm so that he resembled a sort of multi-coloured frog. 'And who may you be little one?' he asked Nessie who beamed up at him, obviously just as charmed by Joe as Bella had been, he had that effect on people. It was part of the reason why people were so willing to share information with him during his research trips.

'I'm Nessie' she giggled, shifting onto her knees so that she was facing him. He grinned down at her, thoughts of amazement and wonder in his mind as he took in all of her physical features.

'So this beautiful little child was carried by dear Bella when she was human' he murmured, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

'Yes, Nahuel is also a hybrid, though he's a good one hundred and fifty years older' Bella chuckled as Nahuel smiled at Joe in greeting.

'Ah and you took…how long to mature?' Joe asked, placing his chin in his hands.

'About seven years, as did my sisters' Nahuel answered him warmly.

'Carlisle has already catalogued a lot of information from Nessie and Nahuel about their growth, diet, physical differences and so on. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to give you copies' I said, not wanting Nahuel to feel interrogated again. I could see in his mind that he liked Joe, but wasn't really in the mood to be questioned, his thoughts were more focused on spending some quality time with Angela. I had to block him out then because I didn't feel right seeing the more…explicit fantasies that played out in some people's minds. I winked at him and he flushed slightly, guessing what I had seen a glimpse of, _sorry_ I mouthed and he rolled his eyes, turning back to the film.

'To Carlisle then, wherever that is. Esme has really outdone herself with this house, I'm surprised you don't get lost' he grinned and I had to agree with him. She really had gone a bit over board; it was still an amazing house though. I especially loved the music room/library, with its rows and rows of books lining the walls and every instrument you could imagine, a perfect sanctuary for me. I lead him up the stairs; Bella had decided to join Nessie on the sofa, choosing to opt out of all the _man talk _as she liked to refer to it whenever Carlisle and I went into his office. I knocked quietly on the door, knowing that Carlisle was aware we were outside but keeping to social convention anyway. It helped to get used to the habit of doing human things like knocking on doors so that when we were around humans it would look more natural.

'Come in Edward, Joe' Carlisle's voice murmured from inside the room and I opened it, gesturing for Joe to head in front of me as I closed the door behind us.

'Carlisle my old man, how're you doin?' Joe grinned, gripping Carlisle in a hug, his shortness compared to Carlisle's height made their hug look bizarre.

'Good good Joe, I see you haven't changed a bit' Carlisle smiled, taking a step back and patting him on the shoulder. 'Let me introduce to you Jacob and Sam, they are the Alphas of the Quileute shifters I told you about, I believe you talked to Sam briefly on the phone already but apparently you got cut off' he said, raising a questioning eyebrow.

'Oh yeah, sorry about that. I never could get a handle on these little phones, I can run fast and smash through concrete but I still can't use a bloody telephone. It's ridiculous' he chuckled and I rolled my eyes, some vampires never could get their heads around technology, no matter how intelligent they were. Carlisle smiled and sat back down behind his desk, pulling out a few note books and folders and placing them in front of him.

'Here is all of the information I've compiled on the hybrids from Nahuel as well as the observations I've made about him, Nessie and Nelle.' He said, handing Joe a thick folder that probably contained all of the photographs, measurements and general characteristics of hybrids. I knew that Nessie's identity would be safe, Joe's studies were always very scientific, referring to the subjects anonymously and never by name. Carlisle placed another folder in his hands along with a notebook, 'here is everything that Sam has allowed me to compile about his tribe. General information like imprinting, legends, physical characteristics and life spans…everything you need to know basically' he said as Joe gripped onto the folders like they were the greatest treasure he'd ever seen. The main reason why Carlisle and Joe got on so well was the shared curiosity and love for knowledge, they were both like children on Christmas morning the minute they even thought they saw something unknown. Carlisle smiled and tapped his fingers on the last notepad that was left; the thoughts running through his mind were of anticipation and excitement as he wondered how Joe would react to yet another new type of vampire. I could see he was thinking of Zack, Elsie and Maddy as I heard the inevitable pitter patter of tiny feet as Alice brought down the hallway.

'There is another way of making vampires that I've been excited to tell you about' Carlisle grinned as Joe gave him a curious look. 'Alice, Maddy, if you please' he said and the door opened, Maddy ran in with vampire speed, jumping up into Carlisle's arms as Alice's tinkling laughter followed her into the room.

'Calm down Maddy' Carlisle chuckled as Maddy jumped up and down in his arms. 'Maddy this is Joe, he's a friend. Joe this is Maddy, Alice's daughter.'

Joes face was filled with confusion as he looked down at Maddy, her dark brown eyes staring curiously back at him as he looked between Alice and Maddy. 'I can definitely see the resemblance but…how?' he gasped.

'Eric, a new member of our family has a gift that can physically manipulate people's bodies. He was able to allow for Rose and Alice to conceive children' Carlisle explained as Alice scooped Maddy back up into her arms.

'And this is one of the children?' he asked, shock and excitement sparkling in his eyes as he looked at Maddy.

'I'm special' she laughed, causing the sound to reverberate around the room.

'I can see that' he smiled. 'How fast does she grow?' he asked, looking to Carlisle.

'Oh about roughly twice as fast as Nessie' he answered, picking up the notebook from the table. 'It's all in here' he said, handing the notebook to Joe who took it and added it to the stack in his hands.

'Thanks so much Carlisle' he said, placing the books and folders into the black satchel he had strapped on.

'So when are you planning on going to research Eric and Katlyn's tribe?' I asked, searching his mind for the answer before he said it.

'As soon as you decide on who you want to come with me' he shrugged, 'I think it'll be good to bring someone from your pack' he said looking to Sam and Jacob who both nodded thoughtfully. I considered his suggestion for a second, it did make sense. If there was a tribe of shifters out there, it would be understandable for them to be wary of vampires. It would make sense to take someone who was their own kind to help ease communications. I listened in on the other thoughts to see if any of them had come up with any decent suggestions.

_I don't think I can go, although I want to. I need to stay behind and lead the pack. Maybe Paul, but he's a bit of a loose cannon, I wouldn't want him to end up attacking someone if things got heated…_

Sam's thoughts weren't much help; most of his pack members were either too young or imprinted and wouldn't be able to stay away from their other halves. Jake's mind wasn't much help either; he understood that they needed to send someone reasonably sensible but also able to hold their own in a fight if things took a turn for the worse. He didn't want to go himself because it would mean leaving Nessie behind, I had expected as much, I knew it was painful for him to be away from her for any length of time. A flicker of an idea was building in Carlisle's head and I listened to his reasoning, nodding in agreement and smiling over at him.

'I think that's the best solution Carlisle' I murmured thoughtfully and he raised his eyebrow at me.

_Eavesdropping were you? No surprise there. _He thought at me and I laughed, Jake rolled his eyes at us.

_Typical, another mysterious telepathic conversation. Speak out loud you morons_ he groaned in his head.

'I think it'd be best if Eric and Leah went with Joe, of course it'd be up to them' Carlisle said as Jacob and Sam nodded pensively.

'Eric _is_ from the tribe of shifters that Joe will be researching, and Leah is a good representative for the pack, don't you think. Plus they're a couple so they won't be missing their other halves at home' Sam murmured and smiled, thoughts of relief and happiness that Leah had finally found a mate swimming around in his mind.

'It's settled then, we'll ask them over dinner, which should be in about…ten minutes I think' Carlisle said, looking at his watch. I watched as Joe gave an exited little hop, causing Maddy to burst into chimes of laughter at his happy little dance. I rolled my eyes at him, barely able to stop myself from laughing at him.

We went downstairs, Joe enthusiastically planning out the research trip as Sam and Jake nodded along, obviously barely able to keep up with the fast jumble of words streaming out of his mouth as we headed towards the kitchen. Esme and Bella were already in there, putting the finishing touches on what was sure to be a fantastic meal for those in the house who actually ate. I went over and wrapped my arms around her waist, nibbling on her ear as she chuckled.

'Guys come on, we're about to eat' Jake moaned, rolling his eyes and taking a seat at the table next to Seth. I chuckled and kissed her briefly on the temple, picking up a couple of plates and carrying them over to the dining table.

Joe watched in amazement as the pack ate, I had felt the same shock when I'd first seen them shovel food into their mouths; it was truly astounding how much they could consume. And I listened in amusement to Joe's thoughts.

_Holy crap, maybe it's because I'm a vampire and I don't eat but that can't be possible. Where do they put it all, that Leah woman is very slim but she eats like a Scotsman…_he thought, staring wide eyed as Jake and Seth both reached for the same potato, sharing a brief, wolf-like stare before Seth rolled his eyes and gave it to Jake who grinned triumphantly.

Despite all the territorial food disputes and shocking consumption of food, the dinner ended without much incident. Carlisle brought up the subject of the research trip to Eric and Leah who thought it was a great idea, I could hear the tenor of his thoughts. Excited and anxious at the same time about the possibility of finding descendants of his tribe, the possibility of there maybe being someone in existence who grew up hearing the same legends as he and Katlyn had in their youth had his mind positively glowing with restrained anticipation. He briefly wondered whether the story of his family's massacre would have made it into the tribe's history, though he quickly pushed that thought aside as a flicker of sadness tainted his eagerness. I could feel the pain of his memories through his thoughts and imagined how conflicted he must be. On the one hand he could be meeting elders who would know of him and his sister but on the other he was worried that if they existed, they wouldn't be welcoming of his vampire lifestyle. Leah's thoughts were exited too, she had always wondered whether there were other shifter packs out there, considering what possible animals they could turn into and if they would have the same rich history as the Quileutes.

We stayed in the kitchen, helping Joe, Leah and Eric plan out their trip. They would head to Texas, where their tribe had been moved to, hopefully finding someone who may know if the Cana tribe still existed and if so, where they were now. Leah thought it best that they leave straight away, a brief glimpse at the conversation she and Seth had had with Charlie springing into her mind. I was aware of Charlie's plans of proposal; it was pretty difficult not to be, what with being able to read minds and his less than subtle behaviour. Bella was still blissfully ignorant about everything though, just how Charlie wanted it to be until he told her himself. Leah felt the need to be there for her mother when Charlie proposed, so she wanted to leave soon, hoping they would be back in time for him to pop the question. Eric didn't have much problem with the idea of heading out so quickly; as long as he was with Leah he would be happy, his only thoughts were of her these days, as was usual with imprinted pairs. Joe loved the idea of leaving straight away, ever eager to move onto the next research trip as his mind buzzed with happy anticipation.

They packed their things relatively quickly, unlike Alice; Leah was one of those women who didn't feel the need to pack mountains of clothes for every trip. I smiled in memory of the time we went to New York for the weekend about five years ago, remembering how Alice had taken about five suitcases full of clothes back with her.

'This is all so sudden, are you sure you're going to be okay?' Esme asked, worry touching her eyes as she hugged Eric.

'Don't worry, it's only a short research trip Esme, we'll bring you back a present' he said wriggling his eyebrows and she laughed, kissing him on the cheek. _Oh I hope they're alright, I don't want to lose them_ she thought as she hugged Leah and then Joe, who kissed her softly on the cheek, guessing that she was worried. I laughed as I waved goodbye, the giddy excitement in Joe's thoughts as they disappeared into the woods was childlike in its enthusiasm.

'I hope they'll be okay' Esme repeated her thoughts out loud as Carlisle hugged her to his side.

'They'll be fine, he may look a bit like an idiot but Joe knows what he's doing, besides according to Alice they'll be back in about a week' he murmured and she relaxed a little bit, thinking happy thoughts as she headed back into the kitchen.

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><p>The next couple of days passed uneventfully. As expected the children grew, their speech becoming more complex and their thoughts maturing as they developed. I was sitting in the music room, playing a song I'd been working on, when Maddy wandered in looking for Jasper. Apparently they'd been playing hide and seek and he was a little too good at the whole 'hiding' part. She came up to me and climbed onto the stool and tugging on my sleeve.<p>

'Have you seen daddy uncle Edward?' she asked in her tiny voice, worry tainting her thoughts as she feared that he'd gone missing.

'Oh sweetie, don't worry, your dad isn't missing, he's just cheating at hide and seek' I whispered and she smiled before a frown of annoyance crossed her face.

'That's not fair' she moaned and I chuckled, mussing her hair.

'And what do you call it when you teleport and hide somewhere else just before he finds you, is that fair?' I asked, raising my eyebrow as she smiled guiltily up at me.

An idea came into her head that turned my amusement into confusion. I watched apprehensively as she pictured Jasper in her mind, focusing on his face before the same golden glow that signified that she was going to teleport shone through her skin. Only this time she didn't gradually disappear, the shimmering sparks that usually swarmed around her before she vanished weren't engulfing her body this time, instead, they were spreading outward from her and swirling around in the air, seeming to gather in the centre of the room as I watched. Carlisle ran in, feeling the strange shift in atmosphere from all the way in his office, he stopped dead in the doorway and watched as the golden lights formed themselves into the outline of a person. Bit by bit the shape began to appear, at first a glowing gold and then solidifying into a distinguishable form. Within only a few seconds we were both staring at Jasper, glancing around himself in bewilderment as he fell to the floor, the faint glow now leaving his skin as he sat up.

'Um…why am I in the music room?' he gasped, eyebrows shooting up as he took in his surroundings. Maddy clapped delightedly, giggling as she ran over to her father.

'Found you!' she laughed, ignoring the shocked silence from me and Carlisle, I looked at him, the same endless questions were in mind. How had she managed to adapt her power like that and since when? He shook himself out of his frozen stance and glanced at Maddy and Jasper, then back at me, projecting his thoughts.

_Well Edward, I guess she's even more powerful than we thought._

**A/N: Oh plot twist! Well…not really a plot twist, more like something I decided to add to Maddy's power. She can teleport other people if she wants, though it's easier if she's touching them at the time. What y'all think?**


	29. Crouching Nessie, Hidden Jasper

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

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><p><strong>AN: I know it's a bit weird to think of the kids learning to fight when they're so young but you have to remember they are vampire children. Also, some kids start training as young as two years old.**

**Gi = the clothes worn by practitioners of various martial arts.**

**Kata = a set of fixed movements or drills that are used in martial arts to allow the fighter to commit them to muscle memory so that when they're attacked their response is automatic.**

**P.S. This chapter is dedicated to three people; Stephanie Meyer (of course), Sasha88 because she always gives me nice reviews :D and finally…Bruce Willis because, let's face it, he is just one manly chunk of sexy and I love him.**

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><p>Chapter 29: Jaspers POV:<p>

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><p>I was crouching in a hollowed out tree trunk on the outskirts of the woods. I know that you're meant to let children win at hide and seek but I just couldn't stop myself from trying to challenge her even the slightest bit. I smiled to myself as I felt her emotions morph from excited and curious to frustrated and determined, eventually settling on being annoyed as I heard her wander through the house in search of me. This was no different than when she decided to teleport out of her own hiding places just before I found her, so I didn't feel like I was cheating. I smelt the familiar scent of Alice and grinned through the crack in the tree as she stood in front of it, arms crossed. Her emotions were the usual blissful warm that I knew as being her, tinted with the slightest bit of incredulity as she raised her eyebrows at me.<p>

'You do realise that you're being unfair honey, and very _very_ childish for that matter' she chuckled, leaning against the tree as if she were just talking to herself.

'I'm just playing dirty, she does it all the time' I responded, flicking a beetle off my shoulder.

'Yes but there's one huge difference, she's a child and you're _supposed_ to be over one hundred and sixty years old' she muttered and I could feel the glint of amusement in her words. 'She's asking Edward for help you know, and…wait _what_?' she whispered, I could feel the usual slight uncertainty she felt when she had a vision, but instead of emotions of understanding or fear she experienced after her visions, she just felt…confused. I tried to pinpoint what exactly she was feeling; there was wonder, confusion, anticipation and the slightest hint of disbelief as she went over the vision in her mind. I wondered if it was perhaps something to do with our daughter and sought out her emotions again, hers were the same as before; annoyance at not being able to find me coupled with…a devious intent? What was she planning? The feelings were changing from frustration to anticipation as I felt her determination to do…_something_.

'Um Alice, do you know what our daughter is planning, should I be worried?' I asked, moving to get out of my hiding place. She shrugged and chuckled to herself before looking at me.

'Oh don't be worried honey, you'll be fine' she grinned and I rolled my eyes at her typical mysterious hints.

I was about to insist that she tell me when I felt my whole body begin to feel so…transient. I looked down at my skin that was beginning to buzz with a gentle golden glow, what looked like a million little stars were swarming over my skin as it began to flicker into non-existence. I controlled my panic, hoping this was just a figment of my imagination as I stared down at my wavering body. This looked a lot like what happened to Maddy before she teleported, what _was_ she doing? I looked up, but instead of seeing the house through the crack in the bark or Alice standing next to the tree I saw, Maddy, and Edward….and Carlisle. Was I in the music room? How did I get in here? I glanced around myself in bewilderment, taking in their own shocked expressions and testing their emotions. They were confused, Edward was slightly amused but also shocked, Carlisle was just shocked with a slight hint of curiosity and excitement. Maddy however, she seemed like she knew exactly what was going to happen. Her emotions sang in triumph and elation as she grinned down at me, clapping her hands enthusiastically and running over to where I was picking myself up off the floor.

'Found you!' she giggled, running into my arms as I let her barrel into me. I saw Edward and Carlisle exchange a pensive glance before they turned their attention back to me. I stood up, scooping Maddy into my arms and chuckling at her still victorious mood.

'So I uh guess you've learnt how to do more than just teleport…' I murmured her as she bounced up and down in my arms, 'how long have you been able to do that?' I asked her, she grinned at me secretively and giggled.

'Apparently she found out she could teleport objects to her when she thought of them yesterday, it was only today that she thought of teleporting other people' Edward answered, raising an eyebrow and then scratching his chin thoughtfully. 'I wonder if she can also teleport people _away_ from her…' he trailed off and I rolled my eyes at him, he and Carlisle were constantly trying to test people's limits and powers. I turned Maddy in my arms so that she was facing Edward and grinned over at him; he'd already guessed what I was doing and crossed his arms.

'Maddy honey, could you make Uncle Edward go away, just like you did to me, but this time can you send him to…the kitchen?' I whispered and felt a blossom of excitement spring to life in her emotions. She nodded emphatically and began to glow.

I watched as the familiar golden light surrounded her and then trailed outwards, engulfing Edward's body instead of her own, he waited patiently, his emotions slightly anxious with a hint of anticipation as the tiny lights swarmed upwards, wrapping him in a golden haze as his body began to flicker before it disappeared. I sent my senses down to the kitchen, feeling Esme as she contently went about the room, humming to herself and felt the usual playful emotions of Emmett. I heard and felt his shock as Edward must have materialised in the middle of the kitchen, Esme's own fright simmered down quickly and her shock turned to amusement. A minute later Edward came back through the door, grinning.

'You should have seen Emmett's face, scared the crap out of him' he chuckled, closing the door behind him, sure enough I could still feel the remnants of Emmett's shock downstairs, I shook my head smiling. Listening as Emmett stomped up the stairs with unnecessary noise, his emotions settling to amusement but still tinged with shock and embarrassment. He opened the door, raising his eyebrow as he leant against the doorway, trying to compose his face as he took us all in.

'Does someone want to explain why my brother just magically appeared in front of me?' he asked, crossing his arms. I chuckled and looked to Edward, _perhaps you should explain_ I thought at him, I was still trying to come to terms with it myself, trying to look down at Maddy with anything but apprehension as she crawled into my lap.

'Well Maddy here just learned a new part of her gift' he answered, smiling down at Maddy who tried, and failed, to prevent herself from looking smug. 'She can teleport others, either bringing them to her or sending them away' he shrugged as if this was normal. Emmett's eyebrows shot up slightly, the shocked ebbed away now that he had an explanation and his feelings turned to amusement and slight awe as he grinned over at Maddy.

'Well that could come in handy, she could just transport Eddykins here to the middle of the Sahara desert whenever he gets annoying, which is a lot' he smirked at Edward, winking when Edward gave him an exasperated grunt. The conversation went like that for a while; Emmett kept trying to provoke Edward to the point where Carlisle just decided to give up trying to keep the peace and went off to the sanctuary of his study. I picked Maddy up and snuck past them to go down to the living room; they were so ensconced in their brotherly squabble that they barely noticed us as I passed, I rolled my eyes at them; even though Edward put up the front of being the mature one, once Emmett pushed his buttons he would always become almost as childish as him.

I felt the familiar emotional climate of the love of my life, her warm and excited emotions rippling outwards as she hopped up and down on the sofa, absorbed in the fashion programme that her and Rose were watching on the television. I couldn't help myself as my own emotions lifted upwards as we got closer; a combination of her own happiness and Maddy's causing me to perk up as I settled down next to her, placing a kiss on her temple as she smirked briefly at me before returning to gasping at the latest fashions on the catwalk. Maddy reached out and Alice wordlessly scooped her up, placing her into her lap and pointing out the different dresses that I just knew she would be hunting down as soon as they were in Milan or Paris or wherever it is that they were.

I felt a wave of frustration float over from Bella who was sitting on the Sofa opposite me and trying to read a book, I gave her a questioning glance, sending a trickle of calm over to her and raising my eyebrows in curiosity when she looked up. She rolled her eyes dramatically and sent a glance towards Alice before settling back to her book, her smile looked grim. I peered curiously over Alice's shoulder, suppressing my sigh as I spotted the thick notepad in her hands. She had written down notes on almost an entire four pages, noting down descriptions of clothes and placing them next to names. I noticed that a majority of the clothes had been allocated for Bella and understood the frustration; Bella could sense that there would be a lot of forceful make-over sessions in her near future and she was having a hard time concealing her annoyance at Alice. I chuckled to myself and winked at her, causing her to slump in defeat; she had been counting on me to try and calm Alice's excitement and take the heat off her somewhat, but I was pretty powerless to prevent my wife from doing something she wanted, besides, if she was happy then so was I; even if it was at the expense of Bella's already fragile nerves.

I looked over at the clock and realised it was almost time for the training session, after much convincing by Nessie; Edward had finally allowed me to train his daughter to fight. He didn't want her knowing too much, but she was still having nightmares about the Volturi; I would feel her panic at night as she was faced again in the clearing, looking into the eyes of the people who wanted to tear her family apart. Edward as well had felt her emotions through me and heard the fear in her mind at the idea of being attacked again, even though they were now gone, there was still the threat of Vasilios and his mate to worry about. I smiled over at Bella and stood up, she rolled her eyes in response, she knew what time it was and had decided to separate herself from the training sessions, unwilling to see her daughter in that position. The only reason why she let me train her was because I figured she knew that deep down, Nessie would feel safer if she felt she was able to protect herself, even though her family would never let anyone hurt her.

Edward still wouldn't let me teach her full on fighting, so he had insisted that I start her off with a mixture of martial arts so that she wouldn't have to get too involved with the idea of battle. She was still too small to spar with so Elsie would also be training with her, partly because she liked learning martial arts but also because she loved spending time with Nessie. They were both roughly the size of two year olds by now, it was very surreal to be teaching karate and tai kwon do to a couple of toddlers but with their vampire grace and increased intelligence, they were more than capable of learning the basics. I went out to the back yard where I could hear the thrumming heartbeat of Nessie, already waiting in the small training area that Emmett had set up near the cherry trees. I laughed to myself as I approached her and Elsie; they were both wearing matching sets of gis, bright pink and special ordered by Alice. They looked like what I'd picture a Barbie doll would look like, if the toy shops sold _karate Barbie. _Their tiny frames stood out in the garden as they giggled anticipatorily for my arrival.

Esme came out of the kitchen and settled herself on a bench, another stipulation of Nessie being trained was that Esme keep an eye on us, apparently they thought that I'd go overboard, teaching her inappropriate things. I rolled my eyes at their prudence, in my experience there was no such thing as _inappropriate_ in a real fight, it was kill or be killed as far as I was concerned. I stopped in front of them before I got them to go through the basic katas, ignoring Esme's chuckling as she laughed at the adorableness of two tiny girls doing martial arts. We spent a while going over what I'd already taught them, adding tips on how to improve their stances and give them more power.

I became aware that we had an audience beyond Esme; Emmett and Edward watched from an upstairs window with contrasting emotions on their faces. I could sense that Edward was conflicted, a mixture of pride and anxiety swimming around him as he watched silently from above. Emmett however, just felt extreme joy at seeing his daughter swiftly take down Nessie and put her into one of the joint locks I'd taught her. Edward's worry peaked at that point but he eased when I assured him they were being gentle with each other, I was constantly reminding him that if his daughter began this sort of training early then she would have a greater chance of protecting herself when she grew up. He still worried though.

'Right Elsie, I want you to come at Nessie from behind as if you were going for her throat. Use vampire speed but not your strength okay?' I asked and Elsie nodded, Nessie's emotions were slightly worried but she was still determined. 'And Nessie, I want you to try and take Elsie down whilst preventing her from getting near your neck, do you think you can do that? Remember she will be moving very fast' I added and Nessie nodded. We had already begun to see great increases in Nessie's speed and strength lately, she was still nowhere near as strong or fast as a full vampire but we had assumed that she would have only half of our strength. According to Nahuel, her strength would grow, becoming equal to an average vampire when she reached full maturity in about six years.

I stood back and watched as Nessie positioned herself with her back facing Elsie, her small face furrowed in concentration as Elsie paced back, waiting to attack. If I had not been a vampire I would have been unable to see every movement of the girls as Elsie ran, leaping into the air as she launched herself towards Nessie's neck. I saw Nes register the threat, spinning around in speed that was frankly shocking and lifting her leg up before sweeping it around to connect with Elsie's head. She wrapped her knee around Elsie's own neck, flipping her over and onto her back before twisting and landing on her stomach, her tiny hand placed on Elsie's chest to represent a killing blow. I suddenly felt a swell of pride coming from Edward's direction; I glanced up and saw the small smile that he tried to keep hidden from me.

'That was awesome!' Elsie gasped, grinning as Nessie helped her to her feet, 'you're so fast, great roundhouse' she smiled, hopping up and down slightly as Nessie blushed.

'She's right; that was very good' I said, smiling down at them. I had to think of a criticism though; it wouldn't do to be overconfident in a fight so I thought back over the scene, trying to think of areas for improvement. 'One thing though…' I said and laughed as Nessie groaned, rolling her eyes, 'no no, it really was very well executed Nessie. However, in the future you should keep your arms still in defensive positions, it wouldn't be good if another attacker took advantage of your vulnerability now would it' I said, chuckling when a small flush of pink filled her cheeks. She looked so much like Bella when she did that, by the sound of Edward's quiet laugh he must agree. A few months ago, something as small as a blush would have given me a problem with my control; now though, I barely noticed it. I supposed the fact that my lack of control nearly killed Bella really helped me get a much needed kick up the ass, plus I was a dad now, I needed to set a good example so Maddy wouldn't end up hurting anyone.

'My turn!' I heard Emmett yell, I spun around just as he dropped from the window with a predatory grin on his face.

'Lesson's over girls, it looks like the real children are going to play' Esme chuckled, beckoning Elsie and Nessie over to her as I readied myself in a crouch. It was impossible for Emmett to spend long watching people train without him getting the urge to join in for himself. The overwhelming excitement and childish anticipation growing within him was contagious and I felt a smile stretch across my face as I awaited his attack.

'Bring it on big guy' I grinned, laughing as he launched himself through the air.

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><p><strong>AN: Everybody was kung fu fighting…dedededededede de de de deeee. I think the only reason why I wrote in the little training session is because I wish I could go back in time and perhaps convince my parents to send me off to an ancient Chinese temple to learn the ways of the ninja. Probably because I am shockingly weak and constantly worry how I would fair in a fight, if I were to get mugged tomorrow, I'd probably have to try and talk my way out of it. Anyway, enough of my ramble, hope you enjoyed it. R&R please.**


	30. Tyger Tyger Burning Bright

**A/N: I thought it would be nice to see how the research trip was going, besides the next big plot point in my story isn't coming up for a few chapters. Also I know it's weird that the updates are coming up so fast but I'm sort of procrastinating with my revision and I've finished the first draft so all I need to do is edit and publish. Should all be posted quickly, I estimate maybe 45…50 chapters, not sure yet.**

**P.S. Me + Geography = bad, I literally only just found out where about in the UK I live so I apologise if my knowledge of distance is warped to say the least. **

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><p>Chapter 30: Leah POV<p>

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><p>We ran all the way to Texas, it was definitely quite the trek, but Joe had some weird repulsion towards all forms of transport, it made me wonder how on earth he ended up being able to travel around the world on his research missions. I asked him once when we took a break so that I could eat and sleep.<p>

'I was on a ship on my way to America from England when I got attacked by a vampire. It's made me rather…hesitant to travel unless I absolutely have to. Besides, don't ya think running is just a whole lot more fun?' he grinned, bobbing up and down on a log as he watched me eat. I rolled my eyes at him; his auburn hair appeared to be burning in the light of the campfire as Eric set up the tent.

'Fun yes, very tiring though. You don't have the need to rest remember' I grumbled in response.

'Oh I don't mind stoppin' every now and again dear' he said in his lilting voice, as if he thought I was apologising for my need of food and rest. 'Besides, I welcome the opportunity to observe you and Eric, I would never have imagined that a vampire and a werewolf could be mated' he smiled, the light of curiosity burning in his eyes. I raised my eyebrow and shrugged, trying to ignore Eric's silent laughter.

'Neither did I, I'm not a werewolf though, just a shape-shifter remember.' I pointed out, putting my empty plate to the side, 'I think the only reason why Eric and I are compatible is because of his heritage; it probably wouldn't be possible otherwise'. I smiled up at Eric as he came to sit next to me, curling up to his side as he placed his arms around my waist.

I felt so much more at ease with Eric by my side, the past few years had been difficult for me. First Sam imprinted on Emily, then my dad died, then I turned into a bloody wolf and then all the crap with the vampires started. It seemed like every single day there would be another problem, another crisis, another heartbreak waiting to come and bite me in the ass. I didn't know how my brother was able to be so happy all the time, it just made me feel even worse. Was there something wrong with me? Why could Seth be so content in life when all I had felt was anger and pain? I tried every now and again to be civil to the Cullens or prevent the other members of the pack from feeling my anger and hurt but it was impossible, no matter where I went I always felt the pity from Sam or the judgement from everyone else. I was the bitch, the person they only hung out with because of some accident in my DNA which turned me into a freak like them. I had spent years stuck in a never ending cycle of pain and hatred, trapped watching everyone else live their lives while I was stuck with nothing but crap.

The Cullens made it worse, they were supposed to be my natural enemies but they were always so stupidly nice to me. It grated on me for ages, seeing Seth so happy around them when it was all I could do not to attack them. I knew they weren't bad people, they were actually very nice. But that made it worse, in my mind they had it worse off than me; they were trapped, unable to have children or ever live any semblance of a normal life. Whereas I could maybe one day stop shifting and grow old, they were stuck having to control their thirst for human blood and the guilt of killing if they had a slip. Even though their lives were so much worse than mine, they were always so…_blissful_. I couldn't stand it. Why were they able to live happily with all the pain and not me?

That had changed though, the moment I saw Eric. Just looking into his eyes made all the pain from my life seem to melt away, it was as if his mere presence was capable of erasing every bad emotion I had ever felt. I loved him; it was as simple as that. All of a sudden I couldn't care less about Sam and Emily, they had each other and I had Eric. I didn't find myself angry at other people's happiness, only pleased that I had my own reason for living. Even with the Cullens, I no longer begrudged them for being so bloody perfect all the time, Esme's sweet attitude wasn't annoying, instead I was growing to love her as well. It was easily understandable to me why my brother liked this family so much. I just hadn't seen it before, having been blinded by my own pain and anger. But now I could see how easy it was to laugh with Emmett or care about Esme, is was impossible not to respect Carlisle and I even found myself liking the blonde one, Rose, her attitude reminded me of my own in some ways. Alice's constantly chipper personality still annoyed me a little, but apparently that was usual. Despite that I still couldn't help but like her and Jasper. Now that I had Eric, I was so happy. I felt as if all of that past pain and anger that surrounded me had been healed and now I felt free to just…be.

We only stopped a few times on our way to Texas, even though it was over two thousand miles from Forks to Houston; we still managed to make it in only a few of days. If we were human it would have taken us about a month to walk from Forks, but because of our speed we were able to make incredible time, only stopping every now and again so I could rest or eat. We had already looked into any possible decedents of Eric's tribe in the area, speaking to the people who worked at the Native American historical society, apparently Eric and Katlyn hadn't thought of that and had been basically wandering around hoping to somehow bump into their descendants. We'd been told of a small town named Cold Spring, apparently they had a very small Native American population that had ties to the Cana tribe. We had high hopes that we'd be able to find some remainder of a shifter tribe, even if it was only legends.

I was slightly nervous as to the outcome; if they did have similar legends to the Quileutes then I doubted they'd be happy to see two vampires, though Joe hardly looked like your average bloodsucker and Eric's beautiful russet skin meant that they wouldn't notice any unnatural paleness. At least they didn't look like the red eyed, blood crazed monsters that I had heard about in my youth, it was impossible to imagine the soft golden eyes of Eric ever being capable of holding hostility. Even Joe had golden eyes, though they stood out more against the burnt orange of his hair. Apparently when he had met Carlisle in his early days, he had welcomed the idea of an alternative to killing humans and had thought of it as way of being able to continue his anthropological studies without the guilt of killing the people that interested him so much.

We arrived in the tiny town as dusk fell; the usually sunny atmosphere of Texas was turning into a greyish night as we made our way towards the borders of the forest. The small town had an even smaller settlement of cabins on the outskirts, as we made our way through the dense undergrowth of the national forest we could see clearly the tiny wooden huts, kept together in a small circle of about twenty or so cabins. It reminded me so much of the reservation that I got a small pang of home sickness; the small community was eerily similar to LaPush, from the way in which the houses were set out, to the flickers of light from some form of bonfire in the distance. It was only about seven o'clock so everyone was still up and about, I spotted the largest building, probably their equivalent to a town hall of sorts, like where the Elders met back on the reservation. I signalled for Joe and Eric to follow me, I would be taking the lead in the introductions because I was not only human, sort of, but also familiar with the way places like this operated.

I walked up the creaky wooden steps to the largest hut, flanked by Eric and Joe. I saw that a light was on inside so I knocked a couple of times, listening to the heartbeat and then the footsteps as they came to the door. It creaked open to reveal a pair of suspicious brown eyes, looking me up and down as I smiled down at the wizened old man in greeting.

'Can I help you young one?' he croaked, standing back and opening the door wider, barely able to hide his surprise at the sight of Eric and Joe behind me. I cleared my throat and smiled slightly, shooting a lightening quick glance behind me before looking back at the old man, he was small but carried himself with authority, he reminded me slightly of Old Quil from LaPush.

'Hello, I am Leah Clearwater from the Quileute tribe in Forks, Washington' I spoke in a respectful tone; I knew from experience that when meeting elders from different tribes you had to show them that you understood their authority. 'My mate, Eric Blake and our friend Joseph are searching for possible descendants of the Cana tribe and were told of your community here' I told him, hoping that the word _mate_ would give him a hint that we were familiar with imprinting and therefore knowledgeable of any tribal legends he may know. As expected, his eyes did narrow slightly at my phrasing; he looked me over with more scrutiny, taking in everything from my shortly cropped hair to my toned muscles. He grunted and stepped back further, beckoning us into what looked like an old meeting room full of moth eaten chairs. He walked over to the ancient desk in the corner, picking up the phone and mumbling into the headset, we could hear everything he was saying of course, he was telling someone to come over by the sounds of it, I didn't think it was a hostile move, it seemed more like he was just letting the other elders in on the introductions. He motioned for us to take a seat and Eric and I settled ourselves on a worn sofa while Joe hovered excitedly behind us, I glared at him to make him sit down and he perched on a chair next to us, still hopping up and down.

After only a couple of minutes of trying to ignore the stares from the ancient man across the room, we were joined by three other people; one slightly younger woman, she looked to be in her mid-fifties but still held the air of authority that matched the status of an elder. There were also two young men, looking to be roughly twenty-five in age, with tall muscled bodies and the same bronzed skin, their hair was cropped short and I could feel the strange buzz of energy rolling off them from all the way across the room. The taller of the two young men looked from the ancient man to us and back again, seeming to have a silent conversation with him. He nodded slightly and took the seat across from us, letting the others settle on either side of him. He had the unmistakable aura of an alpha, though I couldn't be sure because his strange energy was familiar yet unknown at the same time.

'Miss Clearwater, my name is Elan Thorne and this is my daughter Nina and her son Paul, he is the current…_leader_ of our tribe and his second in command over there is Nicholas White' Elan explained, gesturing to them. I assumed that the way he had pronounced leader was a hint towards an alpha as I had expected, he probably didn't want to say anything outright but still wanted to see if we would react. I took them all in, glad that I couldn't see any pompous attitude coming from Paul; I had been worried that if we did find another shifting pack, they would be hostile towards us. I took a breath and sneaked a glance at Eric who smiled at me softly, clasping my hand. I noticed that the gesture did not go unnoticed by Paul and Nicholas, their eyes widened slightly at the exchange but I ignored it as I looked back at them.

'As I said before, I am from a small tribe named the Quileutes from Washington, we are…special you could say, I'm trying to be subtle here in case I'm wrong, but I have a feeling I'm not' I said, looking to Paul for confirmation, he nodded his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips as he gestured for me to continue. 'Well before I go on, I should warn you that my two companions are…' I trailed off, not knowing whether I should say _vampire_, I wondered if they'd understand if I said 'cold ones' like our own legends referred to them, I looked to Eric to see if he could remember what they would know vampires as. He looked pensive for a second, probably trying to recall if they had any legends that had mentioned vampires, he shrugged and sighed, obviously at a lost at how to phrase it.

'Cold ones; that's what my tribe legends called them, do you know what I'm talking about?' I asked Paul and he stiffened slightly, staring at Eric intently, not with hostility but with obvious curiosity.

'Spirit walkers?' he asked and I shrugged at him, he looked thoughtful for a second as if searching for the words like I had been, 'our legends speak of a type of man, pale and cold with unnatural strength' he said, looking between Eric and Joe in interest. I nodded slowly and he smiled, leaning forward in his seat. Joe groaned, obviously impatient with the pace of conversation.

'We're bloody vampires alright! There, it's all out in the open!' he practically yelled and I had to slap him across the back of the head. The people across the room jumped slightly in shock but laughed slightly at Joe's sheepish expression.

'Marvellous, but…why aren't your eyes red?' Paul asked, raising his eyebrow.

'We don't drink human blood; we feed solely from animals' Eric explained, causing them to look at him with even more curiosity.

'May I ask why you aren't more…hostile towards us?' I asked and they looked slightly insulted at my question, I quickly backtracked. 'Not to say that…I mean, in my tribe, we've always been told that vampires are our enemies and I just figured that tribes with similar…_supernatural aspects_ would feel the same way' I explained and they relaxed a little, they didn't flinch at my use of the word supernatural so I figured they _must_ be shifters.

'Ah I see, well we've only had vampires in our legends since, when was it gramps?' Paul asked, turning to his grandfather who huffed at the term _gramps_ but turned to answer us anyway.

'Oh just under a hundred years, my father and his sister had snuck off with a few of their friends one night and came back to find a vampire standing amongst the remains of the village. He was only about fifteen years old at the time so seeing his entire family dead was very frightening. Of course he thought that the pale man with crimson eyes had killed his parents and tried to attack him' he smiled sadly and I felt Eric stiffen at my side, I quickly ran through the calculations in my head, this old man looked to be about seventy or eighty, that would mean that his dad could have easily been around when Eric's tribe was massacred. I slanted my gaze at him and noticed the sheen of tears in his eyes; I knew he would be crying if his body would let him. I squeezed hand reassuringly and turned back as Elan continued the story.

'Of course the spirit walker…or cold one as you put it, wasn't affected by my father's useless attack; he calmed him and explained that a group of clan members had apparently attacked the village. My father told me how he had seen the tied up bodies of a couple of white men over to the side, covered in blood. He had walked up to them, wanting confirmation of the vampire's words but all he saw was hate in their eyes. He told me that was enough to tell him that they were the real monsters and not the strange pale man with the red eyes. Our legends only speak of him as an…_angel of mercy_ of sorts. He saved my father and his friends from being killed and brought justice to the scum that slaughtered our tribe. So we have no reason to see vampires as enemies, even though some of them feed from humans, we know that some humans deserve death' he explained, Eric shifted in his seat.

'Did he see the two survivors, the young man and his sister who were saved by the vampire?' Eric whispered, barely audible but the old man heard him, looking at him suspiciously.

'Yes, have you heard the story before?' he asked, shooting Eric a questioning look.

'Your father, Awan Thorne was his name wasn't it?' Eric asked, taking an unnecessary breath as Elan gasped in shock, leaning forward in his chair.

'How did you know that?' he rasped, his eyes widening as he started to put things together in his mind.

'It was me and my sister that survived, the vampire Nathanial killed the men who slaughtered our village and saved us. I must have been unconscious when your father and his friends showed up, I didn't even know that they hadn't been there for the…massacre, I'm glad that they survived' Eric explained, causing Paul and his mother to jerk back in surprise as Nicholas looked between us in confusion, obviously still not grasping what was going on.

'You mean he and…they were there?' he mumbled to himself and Elan let out a raspy laugh at his confusion.

'Yes that is what he is saying, it's unbelievable. So this Nathanial, he made you and your sister into spirit walkers?' Elan asked; shock still the dominant emotion on his withered face.

'Yes he did. We didn't know that anyone was left; he took us away and changed us, giving us the leader and the man who had betrayed our mother to us for our first…_meal_ so to speak. After that my sister and I kept to feeding from animals, Nathanial is dead now, killed by the former rulers of our kind' Eric explained.

'Former rulers?' Paul asked, recovering from his surprise.

'They called themselves the Volturi, a disgusting group of vampires who ruled over us, they were basically just a bunch of power crazy sadists who liked to control everyone. They're dead now, my new coven, the Cullens and their allies including Leah's pack destroyed them' he explained, giving me a proud smile and squeezing my hand, I rolled my eyes at him but smiled back anyway. Elan and the others looked at us with even more interest now, if they hadn't figured out that I was a shifter by now they had to be morons, I chuckled to myself and sighed, ready to ask the questions that we came here for.

'Excuse me for being blunt but we did run here all the way from Washington in only a few days so I'm rather tired. Are you and your tribe members shape shifters per chance?' I asked, looking to Paul for the answer. Nicholas reared back in shock, he definitely wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, but at least he seemed pleasant enough. Paul let out a small laugh and nudged him, rolling his eyes.

'Yes we are, as are you by your scent. I'm guessing you and Eric are a binded pair' he asked, tilting his head and I smiled up at Eric.

'Yeah, we call it imprinting in our pack though, when we meet our mate. What animal do you shift into?' I asked, I wondered if they were wolves like me, they didn't smell like wolves but I couldn't be sure.

'Tigers' he answered with a smile, I was barely able to control my shock as I registered what he'd said, it didn't really seem like the type of animal that I'd expect from this part of the world. Elan must have guessed why I was surprised because he chuckled to himself before explaining.

'I don't know if your tribe started the same way, but a week after the attack on the tribe, my father had come with the other survivors to live here with some distant family; he began to…change. He was a huge fan of tigers, in fact he told me that the night of the slaughter they had snuck off to a nearby travelling circus they had heard some local children talking about and he had been amazed by the sight of the large cats. I suppose the stress of the attack had triggered the shift in him because shortly after arriving here, his body started changing. He ran a high fever a lot of the time; no one really knew what to do. A couple of the older members of the tribe that was already here had heard vague stories, but even they were unsure as to what exactly was happening to him. He told me once that he must have been thinking of tigers when he made the change; that was the only explanation he could think of really' Elan explained.

I thought back to what Aro had said about us in the clearing, _the choice of a wolf form was purely chance. It could have been a bear or a hawk or a panther when the first change was made_. So Ephraim Black had chosen to be a wolf, and therefore that was what he passed down to Jacob. Likewise, Awan Thorne had chosen the form of a tiger and that was what _he_ passed down. It made me wonder if perhaps if I had chosen some other animal when I made the change for the first time. I suppose I just subconsciously chose wolf because of the stories I had heard, just like the other members of Paul's tribe had probably not even considered anything other than tiger forms. I nodded my understanding, noticing that Joe was eagerly taking notes next to me, much to my embarrassment.

'What animal do you change into?' Paul asked, almost excited as Joe was, his grin was contagious as he perched on the edge of his seat.

'We change into wolves' I smiled back at him, causing him to laugh, he was probably wondering who would win in a fight. I knew if it was a race then I'd definitely kick their asses.

'Oh you have to meet the others, they are going to _love_ this!' he laughed, looking over at his grandfather who rolled his eyes and chuckled. He shot up with Nicholas, beckoning for us to follow him outside. We followed him curiously, wondering where he was taking us but not really that worried. These people didn't feel hostile at all; all of my anxiety had been over nothing. He led us outside and eastward, towards where I had seen a bonfire crackling earlier. I could hear voices now, laughing and talking as they sat around the fire. It reminded me so much of the bonfires we had in LaPush that I felt another pang of home sickness, I briefly wondered whether anyone from this pack would come back with us. We made our way into a clearing on the outskirts of the forest, I glanced around anxiously as everyone simultaneously stopped talking, turning to look at us as we made our way forward. I noticed that Joe was still hopping up and down excitedly, clutching his notebook in anticipation.

'Hey guys' Paul called out as everyone looked over at us curiously, wondering who the strangers were. There were about seven people around the fire, plus Paul and Nicholas that made nine; so quite a decent sized pack of shifters then, Sam would probably be happy to hear that. 'This is Leah, Joe and Eric…' he grinned, obviously looking forward to revealing who we were, 'She's a shape-shifter and the guys are vampires! Two spirit walkers and a wolf!' he laughed, his voice ringing out in the silence as everyone stared at us in shock. A tall, good looking guy sitting by the fire flapped his mouth up and down like a gold fish and I suppressed a laugh as he struggled for words.

'Holy shit' he gasped.


	31. Tiger vs Wolf

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

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><p>Chapter 31: Still Leah's POV<p>

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><p>'Holy Shit' he gasped. I couldn't hold back the laughter that was bubbling up in me much longer, so far no one had said anything and they were all staring at us like we'd grown an extra head or something, the only words spoken had been a curse. I rolled my eyes at Eric who grinned down at me, pulling me into his side and kissing my forehead tenderly, I could feel his smile against my skin as his lips sent a current through my body. I struggled with myself to not get too distracted, it wouldn't help their shock much if I started dry humping a vampire in front of them.<p>

'Like real spirit walkers, vampires? And another shifter?' A girl asked, she looked to be about my age and I saw that she was curled up against the guy who had spoken before, judging from the way they seemed to perfectly fit each other I guessed this was their _binding _as Eric called it, I had seen enough imprints to know what it looked like, hell, I was part of one. Paul chuckled at their still shocked faces and shrugged, grinning back at us.

'Yup, they just arrived. You'll never guess what though…' he trailed off, clearly enjoying telling the story. They all looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. 'This one, Eric' he said, gesturing at Eric who heaved an exasperated sigh, 'he was there, the night the clan attacked my great grandfather's tribe! The spirit walker saved him and his sister and made them into vampires' he whispered dramatically, I stifled a groan at his theatrics.

'Wow…awesome! So those two are vampires and the girl…Leah was it' the girl asked and I nodded in confirmation, 'she's a shifter like us?' she gasped and I smiled at her.

'I can show you if you like?' I asked, raising my eyebrow and they all nodded eagerly in response. I chuckled and slipped behind a bush, a few months ago I didn't care much for showing off my wolf form but Eric said he loved the wolf version of me and I found myself enjoying being shifted more and more each time. It was as if Eric had opened up the part of me that had been lost for so long, the part that liked to run around and laugh and dance, I even found myself joking around with the Cullen's on some days which is shocking to say the least. I carefully took my clothes off, making sure no one could catch a glimpse of me, I may have opened up a lot but I wasn't willing to expose myself. If only my brother felt the same way; Seth scarred me for life every time he phased.

I felt the familiar heat engulf my body, enjoying the rippling sensation as the energy flowed through my body. It only took a second before I was standing on all fours; I felt my lips pull up in a wolfy grin as I padded out from behind the bush glancing up at Eric on the way as he smiled at me. In this form I wasn't as tall as some of the others in the pack; I was a hell of a lot faster though. My sleek grey form was perfect for shooting through the forest like a bullet and I loved nothing more than letting myself free on a run. Gasps ran around the fire as everyone took in the sight of me, they weren't as shocked as before, being well used to the sight of someone shifting, but I guessed that they were still unused to seeing anything other than tigers.

'Wow, you look awesome!' Paul grinned as I sat myself in front of Eric, letting him stroke my fur.

'I wonder who would be faster in a race' Nicholas murmured and I perked up, lifting my head up and then down in a way that I hoped conveyed my excitement at the prospect. I heard Eric chuckle from behind me and imagined that he was rolling his eyes.

'I have a feeling that Leah would like very much to race someone, who's your fastest runner?' Eric asked.

'Oh definitely me!' The tall guy from before laughed, everyone groaned but no one contradicted him, I guessed that they were used to him stating the fact.

'I hate to admit it but Lucas _is_ the fastest runner, I doubt she'll be able to beat him' Paul added and I gave out a loud huff of amusement as if saying _whatever_, causing everyone to chuckle. I stood back up and padded over to Lucas, nudging him with my nose to get him to hurry up and get a move on.

'What…now?' he asked and I gave him a grunt, tilting my head as if daring him. He laughed and got up, kissing the girl next to him before heading off to the bushes I'd phased behind earlier. I felt the familiar yet slightly different electrical charge that came from phasing; the heat crept over, merging with the heat from the fire as I waited for him to change. A couple of seconds later I heard the sound of large paws crunching down on the ground, I looked up in anticipation as a medium sized tiger came out from behind the bush. He definitely looked like he was fast; the way this tiger moved was with a deadly grace that made me feel slightly nervous about my chances. I just hoped that I didn't lose; I doubted I'd ever live it down if I did. He crept over, coming to a stop next to me and I watched as the embers from the fire flickered off the pattern of his fur, causing the stripes to appear to dance in the light ads they rolled over the tiger's muscles. His face was stretched in a cat-like grin as the large brown eyes looked at me, a challenge burning in them.

'Right children, if you insist on doing this then you may as well do it right. You're to make a complete circuit of the west perimeter of the forest, circling back once you reach the river, you'll know it when you see it. First one back here wins, no cheating!' Paul said, and gestured over to a gap in the trees where I was guessing we were going to start. The other people around the fire got up to stand near him, calling out encouragements to Lucas as Eric gently stroked the top of my head in assurance, I gave him a wolf grunt in response and trotted over to the start line, mentally rolling my eyes when Lucas playfully nudged me.

'Okay, on three…one…two…' he paused for effect and I huffed at him, 'THREE' he yelled and I leapt off the ground, hurtling through the air a good ten feet before my paws hit the ground again. I didn't know how hard to push myself, I'd never run against a tiger before so this was a whole new experience for me, I noticed that Lucas was keeping pace so I increased my speed even more, not even feeling any stress on my muscles as I easily shot forward. I heard a cat like growl that sounded more like a groan from behind me and shot a quick glance back to see if he'd fallen behind by much. I could see his muscles straining beneath the fur as with each step I increased the distance between us, I smiled inwardly as I tore through the trees, the green that should have been blurring together remaining clear as day due to my enhanced vision.

I loved this feeling, the adrenaline running through my veins as it pumped around my body, spurring me forward. I felt the air rushing through my silver fur as I approached the stream, with every bound I could hear the rippling currents growing closer. When it came into view I briefly went over my options, I could either skid to a stop and turn around or find a way to keep my momentum; I decided to chance it, spotting a large boulder sticking out of the ground, it looked sturdy enough. I leapt forward and felt my muscles coil when I met the rock, quickly turning around I used the boulder to launch myself through the air, back towards the finishing line. I kept the same deadly speed as I hurtled past an orange blur; I heard another cat like roar in the distance as I quickly approached the finish line, the exultant face of Eric awaiting me spurring me on faster. I had a bit of a tough time coming to a stop, skidding on the forest floor and spraying leaves and dirt in a tidal wave at the watching group. They all stood there gobsmacked as I finally came to a halt, trotting back behind the bushes to change back.

'Man you are fast!' a young guy called as I jogged back over to Eric, I grinned back at him, panting slightly as the adrenaline wore itself off. I saw the slinking form of Lucas padding out of the forest, huffing at the condolences given by his friends. He didn't seem that upset, not that it would be easy to tell, what with him being a tiger and all. But when he emerged from behind the bushes he had a chagrined smirk on his face, coming over and patting me on the back as his girlfriend joined him.

'You certainly are very fast, it's nice to see someone put him in his place for once' she grinned, making me laugh. 'I'm Abby' she smiled as he squeezed her to his side and kissed her forehead.

'So are you two imprinted?' I asked, looking between the two of them. They looked confused for a second before recognition dawned.

'Oh you mean binded? Yeah we are…it was love at first sight' he sighed and she snorted.

'More like he annoyed the crap out of me for about sixteen years before we both phased and then…imprinted as you call it' she chuckled and rolled her eyes. He used to throw mud at me when we were kids and I once pantsed him in front of his friends…we weren't what you would call close before we binded' she explained and I laughed, sometimes imprints happened between people who would never expect it, like with Jake and Nessie.

'Ah she knows that I only teased her because I fancied her, she was the one who always started it' he chuckled nudging her; she rolled her eyes and huffed before smiling up at him.

'Tell me about your tribe at home, how many shifters do you have?' Lucas asked, a few of the others had gathered around us, eager to hear about the pack probably.

'Oh just over twenty' I said, causing a ripple of gasps. 'We recently had some…trouble with some nasty blood suckers, the increase in vampires in our area caused a lot of people to phase before they would have' I explained and they all looked confused. 'I don't know how it works with you lot but with our tribe we shift when we're near vampires, sort of a defence mechanism' I shrugged.

'So you were what, enemies with the vampires? Why?' one of the younger guys asked and I chuckled up at Eric.

'You have to understand that for us, we spent years under the belief that all vampires were evil. The only reason why we thought alongside the Cullens was because they don't feed from humans, so we made a treaty with them. But of course there are still a few evil vamps out there, they like to kill people for fun. Some of them tried to kill the Cullens and a child they thought was an immortal child. We fought them and beat them basically' I explained, by now everyone was gathered around us.

'What's an immortal child?' Paul asked.

'It's an infant that has been turned into a vampire; apparently they are unable to be controlled, very beautiful but also dangerous. Edward, one of the vampires from back home, had gotten his wife Bella pregnant when she was human, the resulting child was a human/vampire hybrid and the Volturi, that's the group of asshole vampires, took it upon themselves to try and kill her' I answered, noticing that several of them looked almost outraged at the idea of the Volturi killing a child.

'I hope you killed them all' Lucas said, causing a wave of murmurs to erupt as they nodded in agreement.

'We sure did, didn't we honey' I said, smiling up at Eric who rolled his eyes.

'You lot did, I was stuck having that bitch Jane torture my sister, whole lot of help I was' he mumbled and I elbowed him in the ribs.

'He started off as a…witness for the Volturi; of course once it all went down and him and his sister realised that they had been lied to about the Cullens, they tried to help us out but this bitch vampire called Jane attacked them' I explained.

'What happened to Jane? Why was she able to take down two vampires by herself?' Nicholas asked.

'Oh it's not as simple as that; firstly, she had a bit of help. She got some dumbass guy to hold me down when she came after Katlyn. Secondly; she had a horrible power that can make a person feel unbearable pain and be unable to move. Long story short, she was sadistic in her use of it. Bella came along and took her out though' Eric explained, smiling sadly at the memory.

'This is the same Bella that gave birth to the hybrid, is she still human?' Lucas asked and I shook my head.

'No, the birth was…._difficult_ to say the lease, they had to turn her into a vampire otherwise she would have died. She was pretty important in the battle though, her gift helped us a lot' I answered and got another round of curious mumbles in response.

'What do you mean gift? Like super powers?' a tall girl asked and I looked to Eric for a response, Joe had wandered off a while ago to find Elan again, apparently he wanted to get notes on their legends.

'Well some vampires have extra abilities' he explained, 'right now at the Cullen's house we have a mind reader, a tracker, a psychic, two empaths, a teleporter, someone who can turn invisible, someone who can control water, someone who can control fire, a technophile, Nessie can show people her memories and I can manipulate people's bodies. I think that's it, there are others I've met but they're not at the house anymore' he shrugged; everyone was staring at him wide eyed, the shock dominating their faces.

'Wha…wait...um, holy crap man! You people are scary' Nicholas stuttered and I burst out laughing, I was pretty sure everyone had that same reaction when faced with some of the frightening things that vampires can do. Eric sighed and rolled his eyes at the reaction.

'Can we…see something?' Paul asked, staring at Eric who raised his eyebrow but shrugged anyway.

'Sure, what do you want?' he asked, Paul's eyebrows knitted together and he tapped his chin pensively.

'Surprise me' he answered and I saw a grin spread across Eric's face as he placed his hand on Paul's chest, I had to give it to him, he didn't flinch when I knew he'd be feeling the uncomfortable tingling sensation that occurred whenever Eric manipulated somebody's form. I chuckled to myself when Eric stepped back, pulling me back to his side and watching Paul with anticipation. Paul looked around, patting his body down and staring around himself in confusion.

'I don't think you've done anything' he mumbled, checking his hands and arms. A gasp rang out from behind him, accompanied by a spattering of laughter as everyone stared at his backside. 'What? What did he do?' he said, spinning around where he stood. I noticed what they had seen and let out my own laugh; sprouting out of his lower back was a long tail, brown and slightly furry like a monkey's tail. He was clearly completely oblivious to it, even though it was weaving about on its own accord.

'Dude, you got a tail!' Nicholas guffawed, almost bent over and choking with laughter as one of the girls tried to help him by hitting him on the back.

'Oh man, look at that' Paul gasped, finally spotting what it was everyone was laughing at and grabbing a hold of it. 'So your power can change anyone's bodies?' he asked, watching as his tail shrunk until it disappeared.

'Yup, I can heal, give you boobs, nose job…whatever really' Eric shrugged as I laughed at their awed expressions.

'Wow, you really are something' Elan smirked as him and Joe came towards us, 'I think they'll love to meet the Cullens and the rest of your pack'.

'What?' I asked, raising my eyebrow. Joe chuckled and patted me on the shoulder before taking a seat on one of the logs by a wary looking guy.

'Well, while you lot were busy torturing poor Paul here…' Elan explained, his ancient eyes twinkling with humour, 'me and Joe got talking, I think it would be a good idea if a couple of people from our tribe went back with you. I would go but I think I'm too old to keep up with you kids' he chuckled. 'Paul can't go because he's supposed to be running things here, so I thought you might want to take Lucas and Abby.' The couple in question grinned broadly at the mention of their names, his suggestion had perked them up even more and they were practically hopping on their feet.

'Really? Awesome, I can't wait!' Abby giggled, bouncing up and down in anticipation, the movement caused the light from the fire to dance around on her dark hair, casting a glow that reflected against the almost imperceptible red highlights. The colouring reminded me somewhat of a tiger's stripes, though less pronounced. I smiled back at her, even though we hadn't been planning on bringing anyone back with us, I was glad it was her and Lucas; I liked them enough, they seemed like they'd get on well with the guys down at LaPush.

'Oh, okay that sounds doable' I yawned, I hadn't realised how late it was and the last few days were catching up with me. I leant into Eric's hard body and tried to stay upright.

'That's sounds great, we can leave in the morning' I heard Eric say, I had my head buried against his shoulder so I could feel the deep rumble of his voice. 'Do you have somewhere I can set up the tent, I think Leah's about to pass out' he chuckled and I weakly slapped him on the arm, too tired to care much.

'Oh we set up a cot in the meeting hall if you'd like to follow me' I heard Elan murmur before I was being shepherded towards the large cabin. The waves of fatigue were rolling over me with every step; I was barely able to register the chuckle from Eric as he laid me on the old cot, kissing me on the forehead.

'Goodnight my love, I'll see you in the morning' he whispered and I sighed before sleep took me over, the warm darkness a welcome escape from the exhaustion of our journey.

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><p><strong>AN: So what do you think of Abbey and Lucas? I know the tiger thing is a little weird but it makes sense seeing as we know the animal all depends on what form is chosen for the first phase. R&R please : D**


	32. Strike Three

Chapter 32: Bella's POV:

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><p>Something was up with my dad. He had been acting very weird lately and I had no idea what was going through his head, Edward wasn't any help on that front and it frustrated me. I thought briefly that it may have been him feeling awkward about the whole <em>his daughter is a vampire<em> thing but I wasn't so sure now. He hadn't been acting strangely around Nessie or Carlisle or any of the other Cullens. I was pleasantly surprised that he and Jasper had actually been getting on really well. Since Jaz got a grip on his control around humans, he'd felt more at ease around those with blood in their veins. In fact, he and Charlie had bonded over the Civil War, Jasper had regaled Charlie with tales of what it was actually like in those days and my dad had been only too happy to hear them; he'd always loved those old war documentaries and now he had someone to talk to who was actually there.

'You alright Bella? You look a bit…pensive' Angela asked, coming to sit next to me on the bench as I watched Maddy practice her gift with Edward. She had quite the audience watching her as she flickered around the garden; Carlisle and Edward were trying to see how fast she could teleport from one place to another and if that changed with the distance. So far she had quite a good grip on her power, I chuckled when she teleported behind Emmett, making him jump almost a foot in the air from the shock.

'Just thinking about Charlie, I think something's bothering him' I sighed, leaning against her shoulder as I watched Nahuel try to grab Maddy before she disappeared again. 'What about you and Nahuel though, you're getting quite…close' I whispered so only she could hear. She laughed softly and glanced over in his direction, smiling to herself.

'He's so wonderful' she breathed, grinning like an idiot; I wandered briefly if I looked that goofy when I looked at Edward, I probably did. 'I think I love him Bells…is that weird. I mean, I've only just met him but…' she trailed off, laughing when Maddy escaped his grasp again only to rematerialize on his back.

'No it's not weird; it's how the whole mate thing works' I explained and her eyebrows knitted together for a second.

'So he's my mate?' she asked and I sighed, rolling my eyes.

'It's pretty obvious Ang, I mean just look at you two. You have the same instant connection that all of the Cullen's had with their mates, including me and Edward. Though Edward may have wanted to eat me first, but I won him over eventually' I grinned.

'He tried to eat you?' she gasped and I chuckled at her expression.

'No, he wanted to, I was his singer' I whispered, shooting a glance over at Edward who was grinning at our conversation. None of them could hear us but I guessed he was following it in Angela's mind. 'That means that my blood was pretty much irresistible to him, a million times stronger than an average person's blood' I explained, 'but he got over it…eventually. It's a lot easier now I'm a vampire and everything, besides, after so many near death experiences in my human life he kind of got used to my blood so it wasn't as bad' I chuckled, I'd already told Angela all about the various disasters that had happened over the years. She had been shocked that I hadn't died already. 'But beyond the whole singer thing there was a bond we had, almost electrical every time we touched' I continued, 'that's how it is when you find your mate, they're the other half of you; perfect in every way, as if they were designed for you. It's pretty obvious that you and Nahuel have the same connection' I said, raising my eyebrow and she smiled shyly.

'I…think we do, I do feel the whole electricity thing when I touch him and oh if he isn't just the most beautiful man in the world. He makes George Clooney look like Mrs Cope' she chuckled and I laughed. I still thought Edward was the most stunning man in existence but I'd let her have that one, everyone had different ideas of perfection.

'So what do you think is eating at Charlie?' she asked, back to our original question. The brief distraction had lessened my frustration but now I was back to being annoyed and confused, I had expected Edward to give me at least a little bit of insight but he kept saying nothing. I had a feeling that Alice was in on it too because she kept shooting Charlie conspiratorial looks every time he came over. I heaved a sigh and shrugged, completely at a loss as to what was going through my dad's mind.

'I dunno, he's probably just acting weird for some stupid reason. I just feel like he's hiding something for me' I murmured, then thought about it, 'no…not hiding something, it's more like he's trying to tell me something but every time he gets close he always changes the subject. We were never the type of people who tell each other everything but I get the feeling he wants to ask me something but hasn't yet. I dunno, maybe I'm just paranoid' I chuckled to myself.

'I'm pretty sure that if something bad was happening he would tell you, or Edward or Alice. He's probably just being Charlie, your dad is hardly the most open person Bells' she said, nudging me and I let out a huff.

'Yeah yeah, this is the same man who took a month to even tell me he was dating again. It was like he thought I'd be upset at him or something' I laughed. 'Come on, let's go and make Emmett cry, you haven't had a chance to use your newborn strength against him yet and I'll never forget his face when I beat him in an arm wrestle' I grinned, nodding my head towards Emmett who was trying to convince Paige to set him on fire again. Angela laughed and got up with me, heading towards his direction and cracking her knuckles in what I assume she thought was a menacing manner but looked more cute than intimidating.

'Hey Emmett' she grinned, 'wanna arm wrestle?' she asked, wriggling her eyebrows. He perked up immediately, looking like a child who's just been given a new toy and punched the air in excitement.

'Hell yeah Ang, wait…let's go over…here!' he yelled, pointing to the same rock where I had whopped his ass just a few months ago. She laughed and rolled her eyes, joining him by the rock where he was already positioned for the match. I heard Rose groan and mutter something about _typical behaviour_ as everyone came around to watch. Emmett was a lot bigger than Angela; even though she was quite tall herself she still looked quite dwarfed in his presence. Edward came over and wrapped his arms around me, chuckling into my hair.

'You're encouraging him you know, we'll never hear the end of it when he loses' he murmured against my ear, I restrained a shiver and let out a laugh.

'I just thought it'd be fun to watch him get beaten again' I replied, leaning into his chest and watching Angela as she clasped Emmett's trunk like arm uncertainly, I gave her a reassuring smile as she flexed her finger experimentally.

'You ready to get schooled little girl?' Emmett smirked, shuffling on his knees and I noticed Jasper and Anthony placing bets on the outcome as they watched from the sidelines.

'Oh I wouldn't be so sure Em, I'm pretty confident I'm gonna kick your ass!' she grinned back at him causing him to gaffaw.

'Okay, bring it. On three, one…two…three' he huffed, the last word coming out as a groan as he tensed his muscles against Angela's unmoving arm. Her apprehensive grimace morphed into a satisfied grin as her arm held steady, despite Emmett's intense effort to move it. She chuckled to herself as she brought her arm down gradually and with ease. She was obviously perfectly able of slamming his arm into the rock but it was more dramatic this way as she pressed his clenched fist down to the rock, laughing outright when he groaned in defeat.

'Hell yeah, I won!' she whooped, jumping up and performing a victory lap, giving people hi-fives as she mimicked the noise of a cheering crowd. It was impossible to watch without clutching my stomach in laughter, the combination of her gleeful celebration and the utter incredulity and disappointment on Emmett's face as he stayed kneeled on the grass was priceless.

'I can't believe it, it's so unfair!' he groaned, standing up and wiping the grass stains of his knees.

'It's okay sweetie, you can't win them all' Rose cooed, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice as she rubbed consoling circles on his back. She shot a wink over at me and I burst into laughter again, having just then calmed myself.

'What's all this then?' my dad's voice rose above the snickers as he came around the side of the house; I'd been too busy laughing at Emmett to pay attention to the sound of an approaching heartbeat.

'Emmett just got schooled by Angela, we're all just trying to make him feel better' Jasper smiled as a grumbling Anthony passed him a wad of cash.

'Uncle Em looks like he's going to cry' Maddy laughed, causing Emmett to huff and stomp off into the house, followed by a snickering Rose.

'Well _that_ I would have loved to see' dad grinned, trying not to fall over when Nessie barrelled into him in greeting. '_Ouch_, Bells, can I talk to you for a second?' He asked, coming to stand next to me and Edward, I shot Edward a curious look but he just shrugged, picking Nessie up when she reached toward him.

'Um, sure dad…let's go down there' I gestured over to a collection of flat rocks by the river bank that were ideal for sitting on. We headed towards the back of the garden; I wondered what he wanted to talk about but figured it was probably the same thing he'd been trying to get out for the last week or so. I wouldn't let him change his mind this time I thought, I'd threaten to drink his blood if I had to. We settled on the rocks and I turned to face him, noticing that the others had gone back to messing about at the other end of the garden giving us at least the illusion of privacy though I knew they could hear. 'What's up dad?' I asked, tucking my ankles under my legs so I sat cross-legged facing him.

'Well…there was something I wanted to talk to you about for a while. I uh, I don't know if you'll like it or not but I wanted to talk to you before I did anything' he mumbled, knowing I could hear everything despite his evasiveness.

'What is it?' I asked, worried slightly. Was he sick? He didn't look sick to me but I was hardly a doctor, I wondered if he'd tell me if he was ill or something, it wasn't like him to make a fuss.

'I want…I want to propose to Sue' he rushed, closing his eyes as if afraid of my reaction. I did what was perhaps the most Alice-like thing I had ever done, I screamed a high pitched and girly squeal as I flung my arms around him, barely remembering that I was a vampire in time not to crush him. 'Bells! I can't breathe!' he groaned, patting me on the back as I released him quickly, mouthing _sorry_.

'Oops! But dad, why didn't you tell me sooner, it's great news!' I gushed; I could feel a huge smile on my face and silently chastised myself for acting like such a girl. I didn't even feel this mushy when Edward proposed to me. I guess I really _was_ spending too much time with my sister in law.

'You're okay with it? Really? You're not…mad?' he asked, scratching the back of his neck as he considered my expression. I rolled my eyes at him, raising my eyebrow.

'I'm more than okay with it, I'm happy for you dad! I love Sue and I know you love each other, did you seriously think I wouldn't be happy for you two?' I asked, slightly annoyed that he thought I'd react badly.

'It's not that, it's just that when your mom got remarried you went and sent yourself here. I was worried that you'd do the same thing with me' he murmured and I grunted at his ridiculous idea.

'Dad, I moved here so that mom and Phil could be together properly, not because I didn't like the idea of one of my parents getting remarried' I sighed, raising my eyebrow, 'I like Phil, and I like Sue. There's no reason for you to think I would be anything but happy that you're getting remarried' I explained, I had thought that he had guessed my reason for moving to Forks, I never thought in a million years that he would take my act as a sign that I was unhappy with either of my parents moving on. I was actually happy that he'd met Sue; when I'd first moved back to Forks he had had pictures of Renee all over the house and it made me worry that he still hadn't gotten over my mom. Now that he was with Sue he seemed happier, I couldn't begrudge him that.

'Oh, really? I'm sorry Bells, I just sort of assumed that you only left Phoenix because you were unhappy with Renee moving on. I guess I should have really talked to you about it sooner' he chuckled, 'but I'm glad that you're okay with this, I really do love her' he smiled and I grinned back at him. Sue may not have liked me much because of the whole vampire thing, but since the friendship between the Cullens and the Quileutes became stronger she had warmed up a lot to me. I loved Seth as well, he'd be an awesome brother, and now that Leah was less…bitter, she and I got on a lot better. As long as my dad was happy I was.

'So when are you gonna do it, I guess Alice and Edward already know, I'm pretty sure I caught her looking through a wedding catalogue the other day but she hid it from me. I'd warn Sue if I were you, I know Alice and I'm pretty certain that if you don't tell her 'no' now she _will_ plan the wedding' I laughed, watching his face grow pale as he eyed Alice warily over his shoulder, the vampire in question grinned at me and stuck her tongue out, pointing at a bridal magazine in her hand.

'Oh dear, I don't really think I'll be up for a huge wedding' he gulped, turning back to me. 'I should really do it soon, shouldn't I?' he asked and I shrugged.

'It's up to you dad but as I said, if you want to stop Alice then you'll need to do it soon otherwise you'll have released a whole world of trouble. Remember how bad it was for my wedding, and you were just the father of the bride, it's bound to be a million times worse if you're the groom this time' I explained, rolling my eyes at the annoyed grunt from the other end of the garden.

'Some people just wouldn't know a decent party if it danced in front of them naked' she huffed quietly and I laughed as she flounced off into the house. Charlie looked at me questioningly but I waved him off, he wouldn't have heard Alice's parting remark.

'So do you have a plan for the proposal?' I asked, 'I'm sure if you want we could help, I mean…Rose has a pilot license so she could do sky writing or something for you' I suggested, I had recently learned that Rose had learned to fly a few years after becoming a vampire, apparently she had been part of the Ninety-Nines, a famous group of female pilots that was pretty much led by Amelia Earhart. Of course I asked the inevitable question, did she really disappear over the Atlantic or was there some other mysterious explanation? I had a fleeting thought that perhaps the famous pilot had been a vampire; Rose assured me that that wasn't the case though.

'Really? That's actually quite…no wait, I'm not that surprised if I think about it. I suppose I'm getting jaded Bells' he chuckled, shaking his head slowly. 'I think I'll be okay, I already have a plan. I don't want to make a big fuss but I _do_ want it to be romantic' he smiled and I noticed a small blush spread in his cheeks.

My dad was probably one of the least mushy people I'd ever met; he must really love Sue if he was planning on making a romantic proposal. Apparently when he'd proposed to Renee it had been a case of a whirlwind romance so when my mom had left him he had been heart broken and retreated from anything romantic or spontaneous ever since. My mom hadn't told me how hard it had been on him, Edward had filled me in on thoughts he had picked up over the years. Apparently my dad had been devastated, left alone in Forks to care for his dying parents whilst the love of his life took his daughter away from him. I was ashamed to say that it made me angry at my mother when I heard that she had left him when his parents were dying, but Edward had told me that she too was depressed.

I had always known that my dad loved me, but only when I heard this had I realised just how much I meant to him. According to Edward, I was the only thing he felt he had left in his life. It made me feel guilty for only seeing him rarely throughout my childhood, I had never known how much he had needed me and I hadn't been there for him. I'd never let him feel that way again, I was so happy that Sue had opened him up to love again and I didn't care that I was a vampire, there was no way that I'd break his heart again. I reached out and hugged him; he seemed confused at first but gave into it anyway. It was strange to think that I'd only started hugging him regularly _after_ I became a vampire.

'What was that for Bells, I'm getting married, not dying' he chuckled and I shrugged.

'What, am I not allowed to hug my dad anymore?' I smiled and he laughed, mussing my hair like I was a kid again, I rolled my eyes as I tried to straighten the tangles, huffing at his pleased expression.

'Come on papa bear, let's go join the others. Apparently Eric and Leah will be back soon, they're bringing guests' I said, getting up from the rock.

'Papa bear? If anyone looks like a bear it's Emmett, I still can't believe that Angela managed to beat him in arm wrestling' he said, moving into step beside me.

'Oh it's a newborn vampire thing. When you're newly made, the human blood left over in your system makes you stronger' I explained.

'Ah so are you still stronger than him?' he asked and I sighed, shaking my head.

'Not any more, I'm still a bit stronger than the average vampire but I'm weaker than Emmett now. Though that's good news for all the furniture I kept breaking, I swear Esme wanted to kill me after a while' I laughed, remembering the granite counter top I had crumbled when Emmett thought it would be a good idea to try and sneak up on me. We stepped through the glass door and into the kitchen, Emmett and Jasper were still in the garden but everyone else had moved into the house as it was meant to rain soon. Charlie left me to go seek out Nessie, he hadn't had a chance to play with her properly for about a week so he was probably eager to see her again, I couldn't really blame him.

'You want some help Esme?' I asked, she was chopping vegetables for lunch; we now had six people who needed to eat and two of them were shifters which meant that we were food shopping about twice a week. We were also expecting Eric and Leah to be back any second, Carlisle had received a phone call from Joe this morning that they were on their way back with a couple of the shifters from the tribe they had found in Texas. I was curious to see them, wondering what animal forms they had and why they seemed so willing to come back with a couple of vampires; I had been under the impression that all shifters would automatically hate vampires like the Quileutes had done, but from the sounds of it the people that Eric and Leah had found had been quite happy to meet them.

'Oh thanks honey, could you grab the fish from the counter, your father was kind enough to bring over some of his latest catch' she smiled and I rolled my eyes. I supposed that since I'd moved out my father's stock pile of fish would have grown to drastic proportions. Back when I lived with him I would find myself having to incorporate fish into almost every meal so that I could try and make a dent on the freezer full of fish. It didn't stop him from coming home at least twice a week with a cooler full of the blasted things. I suspected that his _gift_ to Esme was more of a last ditch attempt at trying to unburden himself. I sighed and picked it up, preparing it with expert ease that years of having to cook fish had taught me.

'So your father told you then?' she grinned, tossing a bunch of carrots into a pan and grabbing some potatoes.

'You knew as well? I swear to god this family keeps more secrets than is healthy' I groaned, taking my frustration out on the fish. She laughed softly and moved onto the next batch of potatoes.

'Oh sweetie, no one had to tell me…I just knew. It's pretty clear that your father loves Sue very much, it was only a matter of time before he decided to pop the question' she chuckled and I sighed. We continued like that for a while, working together in companionable silence as we prepared a feast with at least four different meats and every side imaginable. It was like thanksgiving every day in the Cullen house now that we had mouths to feed. We left the food to simmer, moving into the living room when we heard the sounds of three frantic heartbeats coming towards us, judging by the scents, it was Eric, Leah and Joe with our guests. The smile left my face however when I smelt the unmistakable scent of blood and saw Jasper and Edward tense.

'What is it? What's wrong?' Carlisle asked, picking up on the scent of blood and glancing worriedly toward the door that now stood open where Edward had burst out. He came back in a few seconds later followed by the forms of Eric, Joe and two strangers I'd never met before. I barely registered the appearance of the guest because my gaze was immediately glued to the form in Eric's arms. Leah was cradled against his chest, completely unconscious and covered in blood, a huge gash ran down her left side and I could hear that her heart beat was unsteady. Carlisle ran upstairs, returning with a hospital bed and motioning for Eric to lay Leah down on it before he started fussing over her.

'I…can't heal her, my power isn't working' he sobbed, his golden eyes locked on his mate as the unsheddable tears frosted them over. I was briefly aware that the blood wasn't bothering any of us, mostly because we were so worried but probably also due to the fact that the pack members never smelt appetising to begin with. I clutched onto Nessie as she cried into my waist, unable to contain her own panic. Angela came over and picked her up gently, I nodded silently to her before she carried her off upstairs, it wouldn't be good for the children to be around right now.

'Something must be blocking your power Eric, but I can't be sure. We'll have to treat her as best we can' Carlisle murmured as he cut away Leah's blood soaked shirt, she was drifting in and out of consciousness on the bed, we didn't have time to take her upstairs so Carlisle had brought everything down with him. Esme was hovering by the sofa, clutching onto her mouth as she watched; the wound looked fatal in its brutality and I knew we were all thinking the same thing…there was no way someone could survive that. I just hoped that Leah's supernatural healing and Carlisle's training would be enough to save her. I could barely stand to look in Eric's direction; he looked as if his heart was breaking with every passing second as Katlyn tried to soothe him, her own face fraught with anxiety.

I watched as Carlisle injected what I assumed was morphine into Leah, she moaned slightly on the bed but didn't move much, her usually dark and beautiful skin was shockingly pale as her heart stuttered in her chest. The blood had stopped flowing now, I hadn't seen anything like internal organs and I supposed that was a good sign. Seth was almost motionless on a chair, staring at his sister as Nelle held onto his hand. I knew it would devastate Seth and Sue if Leah died, they had lost their father so recently and I didn't think they could handle losing anyone else. Charlie was outside on the phone to Sue, letting her know what had happened and I could hear her frantic tear stricken sobs on the other end of the phone, insisting on coming over straight away. She was too panicked to drive, I doubted she would be able to concentrate on the road long enough to prevent an accident, thankfully my father thought as much himself and rushed outside to his cruiser to go pick her up.

The two strangers stood frozen by Jacob who himself was in tears, it had been a while since I had seen him cry but I knew how much he loved Leah, no matter how much she annoyed him. I clung onto Alice's arm when she came up beside me; her eyes were glazed over as she searched the future for any outcome, the same frustrated furrow in her brow that usually accompanied her attempts to break through the block that Nessie and the wolves gave her.

'It's no use, I…can't see' she whispered, her eyes becoming clear once again as she looked up at me in anxiety. I swallowed and looked back over at Leah, her heartbeat was becoming less unsteady now as I heard the blood pump through her body; a spark of hope came to life in my chest as I noticed Edward's expression soften slightly as Carlisle worked. Obviously whatever he was doing was helping, the blood had stopped running and it looked to me that he was stitching up the gash in her side.

'I need to get her blood, right now. She's okay for the time being but she has lost a lot of blood. I don't know if any of the donor blood here will help, I think she needs shifter blood. What's her blood type?' he asked the room, I looked to Seth who shrugged silently, eyes still locked on his sister.

'She…B…Negative' Sue panted, running into the room followed by Charlie. Her face was almost as pale as Leah's from shock and streaks lined her cheeks from crying. She ran over to the bed and clasped her daughter's hand, stroking her hair and murmuring to her.

'That's not good, she needs either O negative or B negative blood or her body will refuse it, I've also found that it's best if it's from someone with the same supernatural chromosomes, it helps the body heal faster than with human blood' he groaned, rubbing his forehead as he thought.

'I can't, I've got AB+ blood, I don't know about anyone else' Seth whispered, looking guilty even though it wasn't his fault.

'We don't have time to see if any of the pack has the right blood and get them here on time and my blood is A negative' Jacob huffed, pacing. We really needed to get her a transfusion; I could hear her heartbeat begin to slow down again, only marginally but still enough that it sent a wave of panic and dread through me.

'I'll do it, I have O negative blood, it's not the same as hers but I've been told it should work with any blood type in an emergency' one of the people who had arrived with Leah spoke up, stepping forward. She was a willowy beauty, with deep amber eyes and shoulder length black hair that had the faintest hints of crimson woven in, standing out in the light when she moved her head. Her skin looked like deep caramel and I could see on any other day she would be stunning, except now she looked pained as she stared at Carlisle, worry causing her smooth russet skin to look drawn and older than her years.

'It'll have to work, have you ever given blood before' Carlisle asked as she stepped towards him, followed by a tall man with similar dark features and short black hair, his eyes too were strained with concern, not only for Leah but also for the girl who I assumed was his mate. She shook her head but took off her jacket anyway, exposing her arm so Carlisle could get to her vein. 'Okay, I'm just warning you that this will feel a little bit strange and you may feel weak afterwards but it shouldn't be dangerous, just…unpleasant' he murmured, seeing that she was nervous when he pulled a needle out, she closed her eyes when he stuck it in her arm; I understood her feelings, I had never like needles, even the faintest sight of blood or syringes would be enough to make me pass out when I was human.

Carlisle got to work collecting her blood, it made my throat burn only slightly but my concern for Leah overwhelmed any desire to feed, I noticed everyone else was also focused solely on Leah as Carlisle hooked the bag up to the IV stand, letting it flow through the tubes into Leah's weakened body. Even Jasper, who would usually make a point of leaving the area whenever blood was around was busy holding Alice, sending out calming waves to us as we waited with hope that she would be okay. Before long I heard the sound of the blood taking effect, her heartbeat went from the feeble and unsteady pace to a stronger and more consistent rhythm, becoming louder with every beat. I watched as her skin gradually moved from a sickly greyish brown to a deeper and more healthy colour, still frail looking but definitely on the mend. I refused to let myself feel any relief until I heard Edward and Carlisle let out a deep and satisfied sigh, Edward squeezed me to his side and kissed my temple and I knew it would be okay.

'She's out of the woods, her pulse is steadying and the blood is making its way into her system. Her body is already healing the wound and I gave her some morphine and antibiotics to help with the pain and stave off infection' he explained, 'she should be out for a while, but she'll be better soon' Carlisle assured us, mostly speaking to Eric. With every word he spoke Eric's shoulders sagged slightly until he let out a long shudder of relief and ran his hands down his face, coming up with a wondrous smile. He bent down slightly and brushed lips against Leah's hair, brushing it away from her sweat soaked forehead. He breathed a silent thank you to Carlisle before taking a seat next to Sue by Leah.

'Now that we're out of the woods, does someone want to tell me what exactly happened?' Carlisle asked, looking from Joe to Eric with a worried expression. Eric began to shake with rage, his relief replaced by anger as he clenched his fist.

'Yeah I'll tell you what happened…that bastard Vasilios attacked us' he hissed and we all gasped, dread now filling my mind.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he attacked us again.

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><p><strong>AN: I know the whole turn in thoughts about Charlie's past and devastation at Renee leaving him was slightly out of the blue in the plot, but I was reading up on Charlie's history and I'd completely forgotten about all the shit that he had been through. I even felt like crying a little bit which is sad, but probably only because I'm a girl and that's just what we do! I hate Renee a little bit now and think Bella needs to know just how much Charlie needs her.**

**P.S. Sasha...how can a shower be evil?**


	33. Mortuary

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: I'm sorry; this is quite a morbid chapter. But I only did it so that we can see just how much of a bastard Vasilios is. We need to really hate him otherwise when the Cullens fight him we won't be rooting hard enough. As an apology for such a macabre chapter, the next few are going to happier…hopefully.**

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><p>Chapter 33: Angela's POV<p>

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><p>I stared at all the blood, not one thought of feeding in my mind, only horror at how fragile and close to death Leah looked. We didn't know each other very well but the short time I had known her she had been fun to be around, she seemed to be a caring and passionate person who, though quick to anger and seemingly cold sometimes, I could see loved those close to her with fierceness that couldn't be defined by words. Her and her brother never failed to make me laugh, his childlike nature always causing them to get in arguments. I saw that Nessie was literally shaking with sobs as she buried herself against Bella who stood unmoving, staring at Leah in fear. I felt Nahuel behind me and I turned around, searching into his deep eyes for an answer of what I could do to help. His eyes were swimming with worry for Leah, he and Eric had become really close recently, bonding over their shared love for the Monty Python DVDs that Emmett had leant them. Seeing Eric in pain and Leah near death was taking its toll on all of us. I sighed and sunk into his arms, keeping my eyes on Nessie as she cried. I wordlessly walked over to her, scooping her up in my arms, I knew that Bella would want to stay in here and be with Leah and Eric but I also knew that she didn't want her daughter to watch if things got any worse. She nodded silently at me, fear and dread in her eyes as they misted over with the tears that none of us could shed.<p>

I carried Nessie upstairs and into Edward and Bella's bedroom, normally I wouldn't come in here but I felt that Nessie would feel more at ease in her parent's room, she whimpered as I sat on the bed and I stroked her hair, hoping the contact would soothe her. Nahuel came in a second later, accompanied by Rose, Zack, Elsie and Maddy whose faces were strained with anxiety. Obviously no one wanted the children around to witness if things turned out bad for Leah, I could only pray that Carlisle would be able to save her.

'Is Auntie Leah…go…go…gonna be o…okay?' Nessie sobbed, tears streaking her cheeks as she looked up at me, the deep chocolate brown eyes that looked so much like how her mother's had been swimming with tears and worry that a child her age shouldn't be experiencing.

'Shhh, your grandfather is doing everything he can to help her honey, you know he's an amazing doctor. Isn't that right Rose?' I murmured, looking to Rose who shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled gently at Nessie.

'Yes sweetie, grandpa Carlisle will stop at nothing to save her, trust me' she whispered and Nessie seemed to calm down a little but still quietly sobbed against my shirt. I continued stroking her hair, watching as Nahuel soothed Maddy and Rose rocked her two kids, the emotions in this room were stifling in their intensity; I could only imagine what pain Jasper was going through, having to deal with the combined fear, grief and anxiety that would be overwhelming everyone. I smiled gently when I felt a small trickle of calm flow over me; he must be trying his best to pacify our raw emotions. I sent my senses downstairs, listening to the conversation and panic as they worked on Leah; Sue and Charlie had just arrived and they were talking about blood transfusions, I felt a thrill of hope blossom to life in my chest as someone came forward to give blood, surely once she got the transfusion her body would begin to heal itself. I looked to Nahuel and saw the same light of optimism shimmer in his eyes as he too listened to the goings on downstairs. Rose was smiling to herself also as one of the new people prepared to give her blood.

'See Nessie, they're giving Auntie Leah a blood transfusion now, so surely that means she'll be okay soon' I whispered and she smiled hesitantly up at me. The tears had stopped but she still looked worried as she tilted her head to try and hear what was happening downstairs, breathing a tiny sigh of relief when we all heard Carlisle say that she would be okay. Thank god. I chuckled to myself and let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding; if my heart still beat I was sure it would be going a mile a minute. I had tuned out of the conversation, placing Nessie on the ground so she could hug her cousins, when I heard _his_ name…Vasilios. Without a word I shot up and sped out the door, rushing into the living room to see Eric shaking with anger in his seat, I knew only too well that feeling of pure fury towards Vasilios; if I thought I hated him before it was nothing compared to the seething rage I felt now. I wanted to tear him limb from limb.

I stared at Eric as he took in a deep breath, how had Vasilios found him? Why hadn't Alice seen it? Then I remembered, not only did Alice's power have blind spots when it came to shifters and hybrids but Elena also had the ability to block powers; not in the same way that Bella's shield did though, hers could negate any gift from any distance, making Oliver unable track them, Edward unable to hear their thoughts and Alice unable to see their decisions. All in all it made them an unknown quantity, we would never be warned before Vasilios would strike, Leah was evidence enough of the danger we were in. I doubted that her gift would protect them from physical attacks though, I had a feeling if we ever saw him again; there would be nothing to stop us from ripping him and his crone of a mate apart.

'We were just outside Forks when it happened' Eric began, rage still the dominant expression his face, 'we were being careful to stick to wooded areas, keeping off the main roads and sticking to the forest. We stopped so that Leah could take a break, the trip was hard on her and we decided to take a quick breather before we got back. Of course we smelt him before we saw them, that disgusting rotten scent' he sneered and we all nodded in understanding, there was certainly a decaying hint to his scent that I remembered all too well.

'He came out of nowhere, him and his mate came up to us, telling us that we were apparently traitors to our race by being with what he called mutants. He noticed that me and Leah were a couple and spat on her, saying that she had made me filth by even being near a vampire and that she didn't have the right to live, it was disgusting some of the bile coming out of him; it made me see red and I wanted to rip him apart for even daring to look at her that way. That bitch woman of his Elena he called her tried to touch Lucas, saying that apparently it was a _pity he was so attractive but had such tainted blood_' he quoted and I looked over at the new guy in the room, Lucas, he shivered too, a look of disgust on his face at the memory.

'Basically we tried avoid a fight, though I wanted to kill him I knew we were all too tired to defend against them. But they attacked us anyway, going for Leah, Abby and Lucas first. I tried to protect her, but Vasilios overpowered me while Elena went for Leah, she had no chance; she was already exhausted and didn't even have time to phase before she clawed up her side. There was blood everywhere and nothing I could do, I thought she was going to die and I couldn't stop it' he whispered, looking at Leah with a pained expression; Sue rubbed his back, soothing him, and he took in another ragged breath.

'Abby and Lucas phased and attacked Vasilios and Elena, obviously they hadn't been expecting it and lost concentration long enough for me and Joe to overwhelm them. They ran away, just like the cowards that they are. I needed to save Leah and didn't have time to chase them down but for some reason my power wasn't working, I think that Elena was using her ability to prevent me from using it on her at all and I couldn't stop the blood so I ran with her. I didn't care that I must have passed countless cars and people; I just needed to get her here to save her. That's what happened. Thank you Carlisle, thank you for saving her; I would die without her…I love her more than anything' he whispered, staring up at Carlisle who smiled back gently at him.

'It was nothing son, just doing my job' he smiled, patting Eric on the shoulder.

'So we still don't know where that bastard is now?' Emmett hissed, anger tightening his features.

'We have no way of knowing, I have a feeling that Eric's power will be back soon, it must take a lot of concentration to block a person's ability from being used at all. Our best bet is to try and track him by scent because there's no other way to get them. Jasper, Emmett, Jacob and Lucas do you think you could go? I know you've only just gotten here Lucas, but we need someone who was there and Abby is too weak from the blood transfusion' he explained and Lucas nodded, gripping Abby's hand.

'I'm going too, that bastard hurt my sister and I want to be there if we find them' Seth growled and Carlisle nodded his acceptance.

'Me too' I said, stepping forward and causing everyone to stare at me in shock. I hadn't shown any particular violent urges so far but I wanted a piece of Vasilios and Elena if we found them, I wanted to see them suffer for what they did to me and now Leah; there was no way I'd stay at home and let someone else do it.

'Angela, you don't need to go. Jasper and Emmett are more than strong enough to…' Nahuel began but I cut him off with a pleading look. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs having probably followed me out of the room, worry shining in his gaze but something in my eyes must have shown him my determination.

'Please, let me do this. I _need_ to do this, for me and for Ben and for Leah and Eric. I need to know that I'm doing everything in my power to hunt down Vasilios and I can't stand the idea of waiting around for other people to do things Nahuel' I explained, I saw that he was about to say something but I cut him off again. 'I know you're worried, but this is something I need to do…please understand that' I whispered, placing my hand on his cheek and kissing him softly on his lips. He sighed and leant into my touch closing his hand around my own before looking up at Jasper and Emmett.

'If you let anything happen to her I swear to god I will castrate you' he growled, causing them to blink in shock and slight fear before shaking it off.

'She's the strongest vampire here Nahuel and trust me, I won't let anything happen to her' Jasper said solemnly, I could see he was trying to ease Nahuel's worries but I still felt the anxiety of his body as he wrapped me in his arms.

I gave Nahuel one last kiss before heading out the door with the others, I had a feeling that Vasilios and Elena were long gone, but we had to at least try, and I was ready for it if we _did_ find them. We ran through the woods, following the thick trail of scent that Leah's blood had made, I tried not to focus too much on the dark splatters of crimson on the forest floor; not just because of the slight burn it caused in my throat, but mostly due to the fact that it was the blood of someone I cared about, a painful reminder that we had come so close to losing her. We ran through the dense undergrowth, in a pretty straight line while being careful to stay out of sight of any possible onlookers; before long we came to a small clearing, about the size of my old bedroom. It was clear of grass and I could see the distinct circle where campers would set up their camp fires. This is where the scent was the strongest; we stopped in crouches and smelled the air, looking to each other to find the scent of Vasilios and Elena.

'Which direction did they run?' Jasper asked Lucas, who closed his eyes for a second, remembering the confrontation no doubt.

'Over to the west' he answered, heading over to a gap in the bushes. We followed him and sure enough picked up on the isolated trail of decomposition and madness, if madness had a scent. Jasper nodded silently and took off again, followed closely by Emmett and then the rest of us. We ran through the trees for what seemed like another half an hour before we came to craggy mound of stone surrounded by trees, there was a small but distinct fissure in the rock, easily large enough to lead to a cavern at least. Jasper gestured for Emmett to move off to the right side of the entrance, motioning for the rest of us to fan out on either side of the crevice. We looked like a bizarre swat team, crouched in formation and ready to enter a possibly hostile environment. I settled with my back to the rock next to Seth, waiting for Jasper to make his move. He paused for a second before creeping in, being careful to move with deadly silence. We followed him in, Lucas and Jake staying behind to watch our backs as we made our way into the pitch black inside. Luckily we could see everything; with supernatural vision the darkness was barely a hindrance for us as we crept over the uneven floor of the passageway.

After a couple of minutes of slinking through the shadows, we found ourselves in a fairly large cavern. The area was slightly lighter due to a large crack running through the roof, allowing the sunlight from outside to stream in and illuminate the dusty interior. It was perhaps one of the most disturbing things I had ever seen; there was a small heap of rotting corpses in the corner and I had to control myself not to gag at the smell, I could see that Seth was having the same problem; his expression was flickering between anger, disgust and revulsion as he took in the sight of the dead bodies, drained of all their blood.

'They're gone, I'd say that they came back, collected their possessions and left. The scent trail is almost two hours old, they're probably halfway across the country by now. Cowards' Jasper hissed, kicking a rock angrily.

'How long do you think they were staying here and…why?' Emmett asked, trying not to look at the pile of death in the corner.

'Oh probably about a months by the looks of things, they were this close all along and we never knew' Jasper snarled. 'We can't just keep waiting for them to attack us' he sighed, rubbing his brow in frustration, 'but there's nothing we can do. We need to be ready' he growled, looking to all of us. 'All of us, we all need to be prepared for when they come at us again…and they will, but next time they won't have a chance to get away' he said with vehemence and we all nodded in quiet agreement.

I looked around the dim cave, hoping for something, some hint as to where they could have gone or what they might be planning. I lifted rocks and carefully navigated around the corpses, trying hard not to see their faces for fear of knowing them. I couldn't prevent my gaze though; it travelled on its own; as if a magnet were compelling me to look, to make sure that none of them were my family or friends. I wished I hadn't. A volcano of disgust and rage burst open inside of me when I saw the details of the people more closely. I wasn't the only one, we had all been careful to try and avoid looking at the bodies, wishing to see them as objects instead of real people so that we might not feel grief. None of us could control our outraged hisses at what we saw in that pile; they weren't just nameless victims anymore, they were innocent people who'd been given a cruel death. How many of them had been alive long enough to see their surroundings, to witness perhaps their husbands or wives be killed in front of them or see the bodies that they would soon join.

I noticed a tiny hand, a child. These monsters had killed a child for fun, the seething rage coloured everything red as I looked away, I could see that there had been more than one child amongst them. It was as if Vasilios and Elena purposefully chose victims that were pure as opposed to those who fed from the evil of the world. I felt venom rise up in my throat, filling my mouth as I was consumed by unending disgust and fury. My eyes shifted around, trying to find an escape from the image that was now burned on my mind forever. I found relief when I noticed a yellowed piece of paper, held down by a small black rock in the other corner of the room. I welcomed the opportunity to think of anything else apart from death as I made my way slowly over to it, apprehension colouring my emotions as I picked up the ancient paper. On it scrawled in what looked like…_blood_, was a note to us. I tried to ignore the urge to burn the piece of paper as I read the obnoxiously elegant scrawl.

_Cullens, _

_If you are reading this then it means you have found our little shelter, I'm pretty sure I am not dead. I doubt you would ever be able to accomplish that, but you may have been able to chase me off for the time being._

_Be warned, I'm not going to stop._

_I know now why I am on this earth, not only to bring vampire kind into a position of power once again, but also to help rid the world of a plague. A plague of vermin and sickness that you believe should be welcomed. _

_You must know that you are wrong; you have so much power, but you refuse to use it to rid our kind of the tainted presence of mutants and half breeds. I'll soon rectify that; I will make it my mission to ensure that every last blight on our world is destroyed; starting with that disgusting little girl that you killed my brother over. _

_One day, soon, we will meet again. And when we do it will be up to me to punish you for all the disgusting acts you have committed. _

_Vasilios_

I hissed in outrage, crumpling the paper in my fist and running outside. I couldn't be in here any longer, the scent…the darkness…the death was smothering me. I felt dirty just being in the same area as that hell, I couldn't stand another second of it. I emerged from the cave and felt the welcome wave of fresh, unpolluted air fill my lungs as I let the light from outside soak me. I shuddered, trying to rid myself of the memory of that godforsaken cave and pushing away all of the images.

'What is it? I'm guessing they weren't there' Jacob said, making a move to go inside. I grabbed his arm, begging him with my eyes to stop.

'Don't go in there…just don't' I whispered, gripping onto his arm tightly. He took in my face and the expressions of the others as they exited the cave, watching as Seth ran off and vomited in a nearby bush. He seemed to grasp what I was trying to tell him, if they could afford not to see what we had seen, they were the luckiest men alive. I shook my head once more, letting go of his arm and pulling in a ragged breath, looking over to Jasper who gave me a wave of calm to soothe my grief. I gave him a sad smile and sighed, pushing the hair out of my face.

'We need to do something for them…' I said softly and he nodded solemnly; opening the backpack that I had seen Alice give him before we left. He pulled out a folded up shovel and passed it to Emmett; he dipped his head, looking at the shovel for a second before understanding dawned and he went off silently through the trees. I heard him a few seconds later, digging through the dirt with vampire speed.

We buried the bodies in separate graves, Jacob and Lucas had equal expressions of grief and revulsion on their faces, accompanying the rage that we all felt as we performed a sort of impromptu funeral. We had already collected the people's personal belongings, Carlisle would call the police with a tip about the missing people, hopefully the victims' families would get some consolation and they had the gift of not knowing what really happened. After Emmett and Jasper had finished placing markers on the graves from small white rocks they had found, we headed back in silence, moving with a slower pace than before as we were followed by the images of the cave. I had kept the note and given it to Jasper so that he and the other Cullens could read over it later. They may find some obscure clue within the words, though I doubted it. It was mostly the ramblings of madness and evil, not a secret message.

It was beginning to get dark when we arrived back at the house; the grey sky eerily mirrored our moods as we entered through the front door, greeted by an array of expectant and worried faces. I went straight over to Nahuel, burying my head against his neck and inhaling his scent while he wrapped his arms around me. I glanced over to Edward and Bella, she looked worried but relieved that we were back safe; Edward however looked completely enraged and repulsed, his white skin seemed even paler as his eyes darkened with emotions and he stared at me. He must have read in our minds what we had found, I showed him what we had done and he nodded slightly, trying to clear his mind of the emotions raging with him. Carlisle of course wanted to know what we found; Jasper phrased our discoveries in as simple a way as possible, not going into too much detail but still giving him the gist. He read over the note with a solemn expression, passing it between everyone as they each hissed at the words on the paper.

'We have to get him, we can't let him live after…after' Emmett gulped, his usually cheerful demeanour replaced by a determined rage. We all nodded in a livid promise, thinking over ways to cheerfully torture Vasilios and Elena in our head.

'We will get him, no matter what. I know we can't track him and Alice can't see him but there is one good thing about his madness…he'll never give up' Carlisle explained, 'and if he never gives up, that means we'll see him again. And when we see him again, we can kill him' the fervour and darkness in his voice completely unlike his usually gentle tone but very appropriate nonetheless.

'That's settled then' Edward said, looking around the room, 'before Elena blocked me, I read his mind in the meeting. I saw the way he thinks. He's impatient, he won't be able to beat around the bush anymore, the next time he attacks, it will be a direct assault and we'll be able to take him out. His pride is his downfall, he genuinely believes that we are not strong enough to hurt him without our gifts, but we know that's not true' he explained, a murmur of dreadful anticipation filled the air. Our silence permeated the room as we all focused on what pain we wanted to inflict on Vasilios and Elena, they had crossed the line so many times and it was obviously causing us never ending stress having to deal with the fact that thanks to Elena's gift we were blocked from finding them, leaving us technically sitting ducks until they made the mistake of coming after us properly.

I watched Alice as she searched the future fruitlessly in the vein hope that Elena's control would somehow slip or some outside decision made by a person outside of the couple would give her something to go on; so far her attempts had been futile, she would spend hours sitting around with her glazed expression, a furrow in her brow as she tried to grasp onto some hope of knowing what the future held. I was about to look away from her when I noticed the frustrated expression leave her face as she had a vision, her cloudy eyes flickering from hopeful to frightened and angry as she gasped.

'Alice honey, did you have a vision…what did you see?' Jasper asked, rubbing circles on her back to soothe her as she shook herself out of her vision induced daze. She didn't answer him, instead looking up at Edward whose grip on me tightened as he read the answer from her mind; he took in a shaky breath and I turned to see his eyes squeezed shut.

'It's Vasilios' he whispered, opening his eyes and showing me a whirlpool of worry. 'We have two weeks.'

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><p><strong>AN: Cliff-hanger, I know. Sorry. And I'm sorry for the bleakness of this chapter but do not threat, Vasilios will get what's coming to him…Mwahahahaha (that's an evil laugh by the way. Just trying to lighten the mood)**


	34. Visions and Preparations

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: I'll be switching POVs around in this chapter so that you can get the full effect of Alice's vision. Hope you like it. R&R please.**

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><p>Chapter 34: Bellas POV<p>

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><p>I looked around the room as the information sank in; the whole family was now suddenly alert, expressions ranging from the anticipatory grimace on Jasper to the almost giddy excitement on Emmett, he was obviously relishing the chance of a fight. Esme's own beauty was marred by worry as she gripped onto Carlisle, her eyes shining with the fear for her family that mirrored my own. Carlisle seemed confused as he cleared his throat unnecessarily, glancing between Edward and Alice.<p>

'How is it possible for you to see that Alice, I'm glad that we have some form of knowing what comes ahead but how can we be sure this isn't a trick. Elena should be blocking your visions of her and Vasilios so surely this is suspicious' he said worriedly and I had to agree with him. I hadn't really stopped to consider it a second ago but what he thought made sense, it was very suspicious that Alice had finally been able to have a vision after so long being blind to them; it had to mean something that Elena was allowing her to see now. Caius had left his brother extensive information on the pitfalls of Alice's gift and Vasilios obviously had decent knowledge of how to avoid being tracked by Oliver or seen by Alice so it was odd that we could see them now.

'I thought that too Carlisle, but my vision isn't based on one of their decisions, they are still blank spots' she answered reassuringly, he shot her a look that begged her to continue and she rolled her eyes slightly. 'It appears that Caius' information on my visions was somewhat lacking' she smiled and I felt a flare of hope blossom in my chest, 'Elena knows that while she is blocking me I will not be able to see any future outcomes based on either her or Vasilios…however they assume that I only get visions if I search for them or know the person, they never stopped to consider that if they brought someone else in on their scheme that I may be able to see the decisions of that person even if I don't know them' she grinned.

'Perhaps it may help if you explained your vision' Edward probed, he of course obviously knew but I could sense that everyone else was curious how Alice could have known exactly what Vasilios did or in this case _didn't_ know about her gift. She rolled her eyes and smirked, hopping up and down in her seat excitedly now that she had been able to finally see something of our future.

'Well, I had two actually…' she stated, a wide grin spreading across her pixie features as she regaled us with her visions.

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><p>Alice's POV:<p>

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><p>My flickering and indistinct view of our future was still as warped and uncertain as it had been since Elena began blocking me, I felt the frustration grow within me again as I searched into the unknown. I was about to give up when I felt the welcoming and long awaited pull of a vision, I was dragged away into the mind of someone else as I left the room containing my family and arrived in an old and dark house, I had no idea where but from the smell of blood and decay I knew I was where Vasilios and Elena were. I tried to gain my bearings of whose future I was in but couldn't get much based on the weird perspective, whoever it was, I knew that they were waiting in this dusty room, surrounding by about eleven other vampires with crimson eyes and curious expressions on their pale faces.<p>

'Thank you friends for joining us, I am glad that you all decided to help us in our cause' came the voice of Vasilios as he flowed into the room, wiping away a drop of vivid blood from his chin as he came to stand in front of his audience.

'You haven't told us much Vasilios, I do know that you wish for us to help you in taking out the Cullen coven but I must say that I am fearful of our chances. I have heard that they have one that can see the future, meaning that we have little chance of being able to get them unprepared' a tall man said, the person's whose mind I was within turned to look at him and I noticed he had long dark hair and eyes as crimson as everyone else's, he looked about mid-thirties though his translucent skin hinted at being quite old in vampire years.

'Oh do not worry yourself so Andreas; my wife has a gift which is blocking the witch's ability of seeing our futures, I have read extensively from my dear brother's journals and he described in great detail the strengths and weaknesses of her power' he explained, a wide smile stretching his chalky skin. 'For example, I know that she can only see the future based on the decisions of people that she knows and is watching out for, therefore she will be completely blind as long as Elena keeps me and herself blocked, likewise, none of you have met their coven and thus she will be unable to see their demise before it is too late' he explained and the worried glances of the vampires in the room lessened at this news.

'So you wish for us to aid you in your attack and subsequent rule of the race then?' a blonde woman asked, her blood red eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Vasilios.

'Only if you wish so, but these golden eyed abominations wouldn't hesitate to kill all of you and your loved ones, trust me when I say that a pre-emptive strike would be in your best interest. Do you really desire to have these poor excuses for vampires control your every move, insisting that you refrain from being your natural selves and trying to promote a _relationship_ with those freaks and mutants that they so readily associate with' Vasilios spat, a murmur of disgust rippled out of the gathering and I figured that these were the very vampires that we had been worried wouldn't take to the idea of understanding and equality in the supernatural world.

'Of course not lord, me and my coven would be happy to aid in your plans' agreed the tall dark haired vampire who had spoken first, Vasilio's grimace turned to a smirk as he nodded his acceptance.

'Thank you Andreas, but what of the rest of you?' He questioned, looking around the room and landing on the person's whose mind I was observing from, the unseen man who had given me this vision nodded his head up and down, his voice ringing out loudly as if it were my own.

'I agree to aid you as well Vasilios, I do not wish to have to change my ways for a group I have never met and therefore do not respect. My coven and I would be more than willing to help, especially now we need not worry about the future seer knowing of your plans' his voice rumbled and Vasilios answering smile shone out, tainted with madness as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

'Thank you my friends, now let us feast' he laughed, motioning for Elena, who brought in a line of terrified looking humans, her pointed face stretched in a hungry smirk as she kicked a young woman who had attempted to flee from her death. Thankfully my vision faded away then, I had no wish to see any more and I was still slightly disorientated from the feeling of seeing through someone else's mind, I very rarely had visions that put me in a strangers mind, though I was glad for the information that the unknown vampire had given me.

I barely had a chance to gain my bearings before another vision entered into my mind, pulling me just as forcefully as the one previous as I viewed our house as about fifteen vampires surrounded it behind Vasilios, it was dusk and the weather was slightly warm as it was early summer; I knew instantaneously that it was roughly two weeks from today because I could see myself clearly, I had written the date upon my arm as a message to my past self. This was something I did quite often; I would have a vision and therefore knew that when the time of the vision came I would be able to leave clues for myself. It quite often amused Jasper when I would do things like this, usually I used it to know which particular outfit to wear but occasionally it came in very handy. I watched as my family and I waited, we were accompanied by the Denali coven as well as the rest of the people from Carlisle's committee. I could see also that Anthony, Paige and Angela were with us as well as the Quileutes.

We were all fighting the vampires and I struggled to see where my daughter and the children were before I spotted Zack and Elsie through a window on the third floor, safely hidden away in one of the bedrooms; I assumed that Maddy and Nessie were also hidden with them but I wondered where Bella and Edward were, I couldn't see Elena anywhere either and worried as I watched my family fight against what appeared to be quite powerful vampires. I watched shocked as I saw a golden haze appear at the edge of the river, what was Maddy doing? Bella and Edward appeared, looking angry and worried as they cradled an unconscious Nessy and anxious looking Maddy.

'Maddy, take Nessie and teleport to the third floor where your cousins and Esme are, tell your grandmother that Nessie is okay but to keep an eye on her if she wakes up. Hurry, and don't come out of the room once you're in there okay!' Bella rushed, placing Nessie gently on the ground and making sure that everyone was too involved fighting to attack them. Maddy nodded once and placed a hand on Nessie's unconscious form, allowing her power to teleport them upstairs and I breathed a mental sigh of relief as I saw them appear safely on the third floor, shocking Esme slightly. My vision blurred and I came out of it, slightly shaken but glad that I had gotten glimpses of us holding our own against our attackers.

I glanced over at Edward and heard him explain that I we had two weeks, Carlisle of course was nervous about the fact that I was only now having visions so I had to assure him that it wasn't a trap. I had been slightly worried that it was but I was certain in my knowledge that Vasilios had no idea that I would have been able to see any of that. I was just glad that we finally had some way of knowing what to prepare for now after so long being blind to Vasilios' plans.

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><p>Bella's POV<p>

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><p>I listened astounded as Alice explained her visions, she described that we would be facing fifteen vampires including Vasilios and Elena which meant a pretty even match, depending on how many of them had powerful gifts and I knew that the Quileutes wouldn't stand by while so many vampires attacked. I was slightly shocked that it would happen at our house and completely horror struck when she described how we had teleported from nowhere with an unconscious Nessie but she assured us that in her vision Nessie wasn't permanently harmed and I felt slightly relieved, though still anxious.<p>

'I'm relatively certain that it is thanks to my beautiful daughter that we have a chance' she smiled, leaning into Jasper's side who had looked nervous ever since he had heard that his daughter had teleported into the middle of a huge battle but Alice had assured him that she was unharmed and went straight away to safety.

'What do you mean?' I asked; I'd had a death grip on Edward's hand ever since Nessie had been mentioned and I was just glad that Esme had had the forethought to keep the children upstairs with Rose while we had this discussion.

'Well…from what I can gather Elena must have taken Nessie as a distraction, I don't know when she takes her but I do that that she is thankfully unharmed when you retrieve her. I don't think we'll be able to stop the kidnapping from happening though, just remember that you and Edward _do_ manage teleport to Nessie and save her' Alice explained and Edward squeezed me in reassurance even though I knew he was anxious as well.

'The good thing is that Vasilios had so idea about Maddy's abilities. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for us, distance won't be a problem to get to her' she explained and I looked to Edward for confirmation, I knew that I wouldn't be letting Nessie out of my sight for a while but it seemed to me that Nessie being taken is inevitable, I could only hope that Alice was right and we do indeed manage to get to her in time.

'But if Vasilios is planning on attacking us, what is the point of taking Nessie' Jake asked, worry making his russet skin paler as he paced around, glancing up at the ceiling towards where he knew Nessie was.

'The only reason I can think of is that he probably assumes that we would send our strongest after Elena, leaving the rest of our family more open to a surprise attack' Jasper reasoned, ever the soldier as he analysed the enemy's strategy.

'So he's using it as a distraction' I asked, confused. 'But surely he knows that once we get there we will kill Elena' I assumed they were mates, why would he be okay with us killing his wife just as a way for him to be able to catch us unaware.

'That would be my guess, he assumes it would take whoever goes after Elena quite a while to track her and therefore make it easier for him to gain the upper hand in battle with some of us missing' Jasper explained, 'I'm guessing he sees Elena as an acceptable loss, or more likely assumes we won't get there in time to save Nessie or find her at all, luckily Maddy is apparently going to transport you directly to Nessie, making his strategy useless' Jasper smiled slightly, worry still outlining his eyes at the idea of his daughter's gift being used but obviously aware that it was necessary if we wanted to be able to save Nessie and get back in time to help the rest of the family.

'Okay, I'm not happy with either Nessie or Maddy being anywhere near Elena or the fight but we'll just have to try our best to be ready for everything. Jasper, when do you think we should start training, we have no idea what abilities we're up against' Edward's voice floated up from behind me and I could hear the anxiety in his words.

'I say straight away' he answered, and everyone nodded their acceptance.

'I'll call the Denalis, you said they were with us didn't you Alice?' Carlisle asked and Alice nodded.

'Don't forget the rest of the committee Carlisle' she said and he pulled out the sleek red phone from his pocket. _Time to call the Cavalry_ I thought.

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><p>Training started the next day, we thought it would best if the kids weren't involved even though they knew that something was going on. We were situated in the back garden; I didn't know why we needed all of us to take down two vampires, even without gifts I knew that Jasper and Emmett could probably easy take them out, but Carlisle and Edward reminded me that Vasilios and Elena wouldn't be alone, he may be impatient and twisted but he wasn't an idiot; he knew that he'd need to do more than just have Elena negate our powers and so he'd probably try and round up as many blood thirsty and power hungry vamps as he could.<p>

We would be practicing in groups; the first group was me, Edward, Jasper, Anthony and Page while Rose and the others would join the Denali's and the other members of the council once they got here. I was slightly apprehensive about the training, last time we had done something like this was the lead up to the Volturi, but at least then we had a better idea of what we may be up against; this time we were just hoping that they wouldn't be accompanied by too many gifted vampires when Vasilios made his move. I also depended a lot on my gift; I knew it wasn't wise to not at least have the back up of being able to physically defend myself but I had sort of hoped that my shield would be resistant to Elena's nullifying power; I had to have a back-up.

'Right girls and boys, I'm going to need to spar with each of you so I can gage what your weaknesses are so we can work on them. Who's up first…apart from Emmett' Jasper sighed

We all rolled our eyes when Emmett's excited hand shot up into the air and he started bouncing up and down on the balls on his feet, I stifled a laugh at his enthusiasm and the exasperated groan that emitted from the house where Rose was entertaining the kids with Jake and the others. Anthony grinned and chuckled at his sort of son-in-law as he took a step forward, kissing Paige briefly on the lips before he turned to face Jasper.

'I don't mind stepping up to the plate; I'd like to see how well I'd fair in a fight and perhaps put the fear of god into my son-in-law if he ever steps out of line' he smirked, causing Emmett to guffaw.

'Excellent Anthony, why don't you come on up…I promise I'll take it easy on you' Jasper grinned one last time before his happy demeanour became replaced by the soldier that he had once been, analysing Anthony as an enemy as he readied himself across from him.

I was relatively surprised with Anthony's performance, even though he was quite intimidating when you first looked at him, he was still like a big teddy bear, so when he and Jasper went at each other I was shocked to see he was quite adept at holding his own for the few minutes it took for Jasper to pin him.

It went like that for a while; Jasper calling us forward one at a time to quickly disable us while we tried, and failed, to keep him at bay. So far only Edward was really able to hold his own against him, being a mind reader was a huge advantage during a fight and I could tell that Jasper was trying very hard to work on instinct instead of planning his moves; however, he still ended up getting pinned by my wonderful husband in the end.

I was the last to go up, I felt the familiar nervous butterflies in my stomach that I had been so used to in my human life as I approached Jasper, he was smiling at me in a way that somewhat reminded me of a cat playing with its food. I raised my eyebrow at Edward's grinning face, the same lopsided smile that usually turned my blood to fire now made me feel cautious as to how well I'd come out of this. I'd undergone some training before, but a lot of my efforts had gone into improving my shield before our confrontation with the Volturi and I hadn't practiced in quite a while so I was slightly worried. I readied myself across from him, planting my feet apart and slipping into a slight crouch. I remembered that I had to be relaxed even though it felt unnatural in this situation; apparently having a relaxed body meant better reaction time and stronger defence or something.

Before I could even blink Jasper was running at me, an anticipatory smirk gracing his warrior like face as he streaked toward me; reacting on in instinct I hurled myself forwards and up into the air, spiralling over his head as he skidded to a halt where I had previously been standing; I decided to take advantage of his position and reached out with my leg, attempting to kick him in the face, but he saw my move and grabbed my ankle, chuckling as he propelled me towards the ground. I had a flicker of memory telling me I needed to move with it, allowing the motion to help me as I twisted back around and caused Jasper's grip to slip from my leg.

I laughed slightly at his bewildered expression, having performed a move that he hadn't taught me and landed back in a crouch, waiting for his next move. We circled each other, growling slightly but with wild smiles on our faces as we moved in a wide arc. He came at me again, this time staying low so that he could catch me in my stomach; instead of flinching with the impact I decided to bend my body with his tackle, bringing us both down onto the ground in a blur. I used the fall to push him beneath me, digging my knee into his back and grabbing his arm roughly in order to force him onto his stomach.

I was preparing myself for the next attack when I realised something; I had actually pinned Jasper…me…_Bella. _Holy shit! I registered that he was tapping his other hand on the ground in acknowledgment of my win so I released his arm quickly because he looked slightly uncomfortable with it bent at such an odd angle.

'What the hell sis, where did you learn those moves? I thought you couldn't fight very well' Emmett guffawed, grinning at me from the line of vampires who were all staring at me strangely. Edward however had a look that was a cross between proud, concerned and slightly surprised as his eyes glittered at me and his lips pulled up into a gentle smile. I felt that this would be around the time I would blush if I were still human as I jumped back up and released Jasper from the weight of my body.

'Yes, I'm very interested in finding out when exactly you had the time to learn those moves' Jasper smiled, wiping the dirt and grass stains from his now ruined outfit; I supposed fighting with several vampires in a row was bound to take its toll on your clothes. I felt the urge to blush again and grimaced slightly, I didn't really want to divulge where I had learned my moves because it wasn't exactly conventional but they were all staring me down so I sighed and rolled my eyes.

'I sort of…saw them in a Chuck Norris movie' I mumbled, shifting my feet and trying to ignore the laughter that erupted from them.

'Holy crap Bells, if I'd have known that then I would have wanted to go up against you' Emmett gasped for air, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, 'hey! Wanna hear a joke?' he grinned and I groaned, Emmett was infamous for his childish and often sexual jokes so I could only hope that Nessie was out of hearing range.

'No but I'm sure you're gonna tell it anyway' I huffed, annoyed that my sweet husband was also laughing at my expense, I elbowed him in the stomach and stuck my tongue out at him when he pouted in response.

'Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris' Emmett smirked, and another round of laughter bubbled up. I rolled my eyes but laughed with them anyway, it was much funnier than his usual jokes.

'Here, I got one' Jasper drawled, his southern lilt even stronger from the smile in his voice, 'Chuck Norris does not sleep…he waits'. From then on we were all regaled with as many Chuck Norris jokes as Jasper and Emmett could think off, I just listened to them all and rolled my eyes, waiting for them to remember why we were here. Finally Jasper managed to calm down, probably only because he'd run out of jokes; he sighed and straightened up, back to the soldier we had fought with before.

'Very good, I'm pleasantly surprised with a few of you. Especially you Paige, even though you lack tactics and movement I had no idea such an innocent looking woman would be able to pack a punch like that' Jasper grinned, this caused Paige to bury her head into Anthony's chest as he chuckled at her embarrassment. 'Now several pointers; Anthony, you need to block more. You're too open when you attack and your opponent can easily take advantage of that. Otherwise you did quite well, you just need to improve your agility and defence' he said and Anthony smiled slightly and nodded his head in understanding. 'Okay, Emmett; you have to remember to use more than your strength, I think I've told you this before' he said, raising his eyebrow at Emmett who just rolled his eyes at the criticism. 'Edward, as always you did well but mostly because you were cheating' he smiled and Edward chuckled, tapping his temple in an all knowing way.

'Well Bella surprised me' Jaz concluded and I had to fight the urge to smile, I had been worried that my fighting skills would pale in comparison to everyone else's but I felt more confident now I'd pinned Jaz. 'Regardless of the awesome moves, which reminds me that I need to start watching more kung-fu movies, you still need to work on your strength' he added and I nodded in understanding, I knew I'd never be as strong as Emmett but it would be good if I could add more power to my strikes.

We stayed in the garden for a while, fighting amongst different partners and practicing ways of avoiding powers with Paige firing flames at us as we danced and weaved to dodge them, suffice to say Emmett is hardly the most graceful of vampires, barely unable to avoid the orbs of crimson fire that were shot at him as we all laughed at his awkward movements. By the time she was finished with him he was severely charred and had fallen on his ass countless times, we were all in hysterics, having given up on sparring in favour of watching Emmett get his ass kicked by a small woman. The Denali's would be arriving soon and Emmett was grumbling as he heaved himself up, unhappy that there was a very amused audience watching his downfall, I imagined that Kate and Garrett wouldn't let him hear the end of it when they arrived, although Garrett may insist on trying his luck against Paige himself once he stopped laughing at Emmett's smoking form.

Sure enough the inevitable guffaw rang out in the garden as the appearance of the Denalis caused Emmett to groan even louder as he patted down the remainder of the flames, he looked up embarrassed as Kate's tinkling laughter joined in with the rest of ours and she gripped onto Tanya who had demurely raised an eyebrow at Emmett's blackened clothes which now hung in tattered ribbons, somewhat resembling a bikini. I had a sneaking suspicion that Paige had planned the _accidental_ outfit.

'Woah Emmett, you look hot!' Garrett grinned, causing Emmett to growl slightly before a chagrined smile broke out on his soot covered face. 'I wanna go against whoever did that!' Garrett yelled, leaping over the railing and hopping excitedly on the balls of his feet. I rolled my eyes and chuckled, noticing Edward's similar expression of exasperation as we watched Paige circle Garrett. I sighed as they began fighting, Garrett's movements more fluid than Emmett's had been but still not quite good enough to avoid Paige's power all together. At least we had strength on our side, because soon enough we would be facing a group of angry and twisted vampires.

Two weeks…I thought. Two weeks and we could be facing our death.


	35. The Origins of Bella's Clumsiness

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

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><p>Chapter 35: Charlie's POV:<p>

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><p>Tonight was the night, or maybe tomorrow; I couldn't be sure. Either way, I was going to propose soon. I felt even more nervous than I had with Renee, I didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing; I was so young back then and I believed that the whirlwind romance was true love but I knew different now. After years of pining after Renee I had finally been able to move on, I had Bella now…even though she was a vampire…and we had become so close in the past few years, in fact, I'd say that knowing about the whole vampire thing had actually made me feel closer to her, which was <em>odd<em> to say the least.

I was still unsure as to how to do it, I was stopping by the house to see Leah with Sue soon, I knew that the whole werewolf…or shifter or whatever they called it thing meant that she healed incredibly fast, but I had seen myself just how awful her injuries had been. It had nearly torn Sue apart to see her daughter like that, so lifeless and weak and close to death, so when Carlisle told us she was going to be okay I had felt unbelievable relief and gratitude for her supernatural genes. She had been unconscious for the last day, and Sue needed to rest because she'd been pacing holes in the carpet since we got back from the Cullen house so I was relieved when I got a phone call this morning saying that she was awake finally. This disaster with Leah has just proved that I needed to show Sue how much I loved her, life was too short.

'Honey, are you ready?' Sue called from the hallway, she was practically buzzing with anxiety as I put my shoes on, the worry for Leah had dimmed since Carlisle had assured her she would be okay but she was still nervous and had barely slept last night.

'Coming Sue' I called, walking out of the kitchen and grabbing my keys from the table near the door. 'She's going to be okay, remember that Carlisle is a great doctor' I reassured her, kissing the top of her head and feeling her melt into my arms.

'I know I know, plus she's got that whole super-fast healing going for her…but I was so worried, I don't know if I could cope if I lost my little girl' she whispered and I sighed, opening the door. I know that Harry's death had been hard for her; I thought it would have been weird for me to think about it because I was planning on proposing to one of my best-friend's widow, but it wasn't. I knew she still loved him with a part of her, but she loved me too and I felt like I was the luckiest man alive to be able to share her heart and the fact that I had loved Harry like a brother just made our relationship stronger.

'Come on love, you know what Leah is like, she'll probably be in a mood if we take any longer' I chuckled and she laughed, rolling her eyes. Leah was a fire cracker, just like Sue when she got into one of her tempers.

It only took us a few minutes to drive to the house, the department had recently gotten some extra money in its budget so we had new squad cars for the first time in the last twenty years, my cruiser hadn't been bad before, but this one was a markedly faster and nicer model than my old one and I didn't miss the stale smell that my other car had. I pulled into the tree lined driveway, the dirt road was almost overgrown with bushes and trees as the branches scraped along my nice new car, I hoped it didn't scratch the exterior as I ambled down the drive. Normally someone, Esme I assumed, kept the driveway quite clean so I supposed the last few months had taken up more of their time then I thought. I cut the engine off in front of the house, noticing there were a few sleek looking cars that I hadn't seen before parked outside the garage, so they must have guests, the mid-morning sun glinted off a silver Aston Martin DB5 that made the James Bond fan inside of me positively drool in envy; I had to find out who owned that one. _Vampires_…was there anything they didn't have?

'Hello Charlie, hey Sue, come on in' Esme smiled when she answered the door, giving Sue a quick hug and peck on the cheek which caused her to blink in slight shock.

Sue told me she had only recently come to accept that not all vampires were blood thirsty murderers and she had been making a real effort to get to know the Cullens more over the past few weeks, especially seeing as how Leah was dating a vampire. I smiled and gently hugged Emse back when she greeted me, I had no idea how anyone could see this sweet and maternal woman as a monster; she reminded me so much of my own mother sometimes and I was happy to know that Bella had her as a mother in law. We followed her upstairs to the second floor of the house, I hadn't been up here before, even before they had the drastic rebuild and I found myself unable to stop my eyes from taking everything in.

It was unbelievable. I could see briefly into a couple of rooms and saw a lot of large bedrooms, a beautiful study and vast amounts of stained glass that made the sunlight stream in a multitude of colours over the wooden floor. I hadn't really noticed the ceiling before and was stunned by the height of it, the countless globe lights that hung down at different heights made it seem like bubbles of light were frozen, suspended bellow the wooden beams. I was brought out of my admiration by a gentle cough from Esme and shook myself out of my daze.

'Sorry, was just admiring the new house. It really is very unique; who did you find to build it on such short notice?' I asked, it would have to take a crew of a hundred about a month to get this all done but it seemed like it had appeared almost overnight.

'Oh I didn't hire anyone Charlie' Esme chuckled, 'I designed the layout myself and got the family and some of the boys from the reservation to help out while Carlisle and the others were in Chicago' she explained and I had to make sure I heard her correctly.

'But…how?' I murmured more to myself than anyone else, but Esme rolled her eyes at me anyway.

'It's surprising what you can get done with vampires and werewolves doing the work' she laughed, turning to knock on the door we came to stop at. I had completely forgotten about the whole supernatural speed thing…again. I mentally smacked myself for being so stupid, though even considering their strength and speed it was _still_ quite the accomplishment.

'Sorry, should have guessed. It's very beautiful though, you're design is impressive' I said and she positively glowed at the compliment, it made her seem so young for someone who was over a hundred years old according to Bella. She smiled once more and opened the door, obviously having heard an invitation to come in that my human ears hadn't picked up. I followed her and Sue into the room and looked around at the cream and chocolate walls, it was a very light room and the colour scheme reminded me of the forest with all the soft browns and hints of green; very fitting for Leah.

'Oh Leah thank god you're alright. I've been worried sick' Sue half yelled as she hurried over to the bed where Leah was sitting propped up by pillows with a tray of food on her lap, she still looked a little pale but her skin was getting back to the usual healthy glow and the dark circles beneath her eyes had faded slightly since yesterday.

'Calm down mom' she groaned, her voice muffled by the fact that Sue now had her face pressed into her chest in a grip that I was sure would break a normal person.

'Oh sorry, I'm not hurting you am I?' she gasped, patting Leah down and checking to make sure that nothing was bleeding anywhere. Leah hissed a little when Sue's hands grazed her stomach but she gave her a small smile when Sue started apologising again. I rolled my eyes and chuckled to myself as I took a seat on the other side of the bed next to Seth who was passed out and quietly snoring in a position that I would have thought it impossible to sleep in.

'I think I'll just get Nelle, I don't think Seth will be too comfortable if he sleeps like that and he only just managed to nod off half an hour ago the poor thing' Esme sighed before she closed the door.

'Poor thing? I'm the one who got mauled' Leah grumbled and raised her eyebrow. Sue smiled brightly at her, obviously seeing her usual sardonic humour as a sign of her recovery.

A minute later Nelle came in, spotting Seth and getting a happy and love struck look as she softly brushed the hair out of his eyes. He sighed and mumbled slightly, a small smile appearing on his sleeping face as she scooped him up effortlessly and kissed his forehead and headed out the door again. I had seen these _imprints,_ as Sue called them, quite a few times and never really thought much about them until I found out what exactly they meant.

It was heart-warming to see the utter devotion between Seth and Nelle and Leah and Eric and I would never admit it but I did get a little mushy when I witnessed their connections. Apparently Jake and my grand-daughter were imprinted, which I had to say angered and confused me until Edward assured me that to them it was more like the bond between a brother and sister or best friends. I shuddered to think what it would be like when she matured, she was a very beautiful girl and I didn't really feel like giving Jake the whole_ I have a shotgun and I know how to use it _talk, though I supposed that her having a vampire as a father provided a pretty good deterrent against any future suitors.

'So how are you feeling honey, is it healing okay? What did Carlisle say?' Sue asked, perching on the edge of the bed so that Leah could continue eating her breakfast.

'Well it hurts a little, a little sore and tingly but that's what it feels like when we heal' she mumbled through a mouthful of toast. 'Carlisle said that there was a small tear in one of my kidneys but that it's healed up now, he stitched up the wound and dressed it so I should be okay in about a week. It was pretty deep' she shrugged, brushing crumps off her t-shirt to appear nonchalant but I could pick up on the unease she was probably feeling after the attack.

'Eric told us what happened, apparently they attacked you quickly; I'm just so happy that you're okay now' Sue sobbed, a tear rolling down her cheek which she wiped away absent mindedly as I got up and sat myself down behind her, pulling her into my chest and feeling her body relax slightly.

We sat and talked for a while as Leah ate, I felt that Sue needed some time alone with her daughter so I offered to take her empty plate downstairs for her and gave Sue a quick kiss while Leah made gagging gestures that she thought we couldn't see. I rolled my eyes and chuckled, giving Sue another kiss just to get on Leah's nerves before I disappeared out of the door and left them to whatever it was that mothers and daughters talked about alone, I wouldn't know…taking over the world perhaps? The entire house was empty as I made my way towards the kitchen, I thought it was odd seeing as there were usually a few people around reading or talking in the living room at least but I couldn't see anyone as I placed the plate in the dishwasher and left the tray on the counter top. I was glancing around trying to figure out where everyone could have gone to when I was suddenly showered in glass and water as someone hurtled though the kitchen door.

'I'm going to get you for that little girl' Emmett growled as he stood up quickly and disappeared back through the remains of the door frame, leaving behind a puddle of water and glass on the tile floor. I followed him outside as I rung out my shirt, hearing yells and laughter coming from the garden.

'Oh my god Charlie, are you alright?' Angela called, I had to blink a few times before I realised what I was seeing as she stood there anxiously with her arms held out towards Emmett, her hands and forearms seemed to have…_vanished_. No, not vanished, now I looked closely I could see a rippling liquid that formed into the shape of her arms and felt my jaw drop in response.

'Tha…that was you?' I gasped, looking around the garden at the gathering of people. So this is where everyone was, by the looks of them they were having quite the time of it, though Emmett was by far the worst off…although a tall sandy haired man appeared to be about as roughed up as him as he stood watching next to a beautiful blonde woman who I recognised from a few weeks ago…Kate I believe her name was, one of the cousins from Alaska.

'I'm so sorry Charlie, I didn't realise you were in there and I only meant to throw him to the steps, I misjudged' she explained, sending an apologetic look over at Esme who smiled softly and rolled her eyes.

'What's going on, what are you all doing?' I asked as Bella came over to me with Nessie who was giggling happily in her arms at my appearance, I must look like a drowned rat to everyone and I could feel the water running into my shoes already. 'I never thought I would need my waders to visit my daughter but I may rethink that next time' I chuckled as I glanced around at the dishevelled vampires around me.

'Oh we will be having some…_problems_ in a couple of weeks and we're busy trying to prepare ourselves for the worst case scenario' she said, emphasising the word 'problems' in a way that told me that they would be facing something life threatening…and soon. Sure enough as I looked at her expression I saw a glimmer of anxiety and fear behind the humour and could tell that she was trying to protect me and Nessie from knowing the full extent of what would be happening.

'Are you okay Bells, is it as bad as the…_you know who_?' I whispered and she let out a soft sigh, raising her eyebrow.

'They were called the Volturi dad, not Lord Voldermort' she chuckled and I felt myself blush a little, well I didn't know whether or not they had a problem talking about it. 'But no, not as bad as them but still something to worry about. Luckily they have no idea that we know when they plan to attack so we have that going for us and as you can see we're all pretty good as far as fighting goes' she explained, gesturing at the war torn vampires around the garden.

'Was that Angela with the water, is that her…ability as you called them?' I asked, curious yet apprehensive to see what the sweet girl I had known for years was capable of.

'How about a demonstration, you'll have to stand a bit back though, you can come stand by us' she said, leading me over to where Edward was talking to a dark haired couple that I recognised as being Eleazar and Carmen from Alaska.

'Right, I think Emmett has had enough' Carlisle called and Emmett made a very childish show of stomping off back to Rose who shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. 'Maybe we should try out Angela against Paige, I'm kind of interested to see who would win' he smiled and Angela gulped as Paige stepped forward. She was tiny, how could this girl be so intimidating to her, I'd already seen Angela shoot the bear like Emmett through a glass door so whatever Paige could do must be very good. Judging by the look of anticipation on everyone's faces I guessed that I was in for quite some entertainment.

'Okay so dad, I'll commentate for you' Bella whispered by my side as she watched the two girls face each other across the garden. 'So Paige can control fire right, only her fire is very powerful and is very difficult to put out. However, Angela can control water so they're sort of opposite; we're hoping that they'll be equal matches' she explained in hushed tones before Angela and Paige began.

I watched astounded. If I thought that vampires were powerful before it was nothing compared to the unbelievable things that I saw these two do. First of all Paige began actually glowing, well everyone was glowing to begin with but Bella explained that that is what happened on the rare occasion that they were out in the sunlight. But Paige's glow was different, it was as if it was emanating from within her like a flame that flickered through her eyes and matched her vivid red hair. I watched in awe as crimson flames licked upwards from her palms and engulfed her pale skin up to the elbow; I was briefly worried but when I saw that no one ran to put her out I assumed this was all part of her ability to control fire. That wasn't the only shocking thing I saw as I watched them from the side-lines; Angela's glistening arms were also being swarmed by rippling current of water that curved and twisted around her skin, turning it into a crystal like transparency as she steadied her feet and crouched.

All of a sudden a large fiery orb began to form in Paige's palms and she twisted her fingers round, causing it fluctuate as if it was its own living and breathing creature. I thought for a second that she would hurl it like a ball but she changed her position and a wide smirk spread across her face as she spread her hands further and further apart. The orb of fire lengthened with the motion until it split down the middle and trailed outwards in two long vines of fire from each of her hands. She lifted her arms in wide arcs, pulling the streams of crimson flames into the air with the movements until they were nothing but a twisting blur of fire, leaving a trail of blazing light glowing in their wake. It seemed I wasn't the only person to be the first to see this as I heard gasps from almost everyone in the garden as we watched her spin and wheel with each flick of her fiery whips, her movements more like a dance as she spun towards Angela's frozen figure.

She whipped one of the vines out and I was very glad that Bella had taken me to a safe distance because I could see that she almost grazed Jasper with one of her movements. She flung one end out, clearly intending to wrap it around Angela, who was still standing still in shock, but instead of making contact with her, the vine seemed to…pass through her body, turning it to flowing water where it had made contact. Everyone else seemed just as surprised as we were as the clear water flickered back to normal skin where there should have been a burn from the fire. Angela was the first one to break out of her surprise, seeming to guess that it was on now that Paige had attempted the first strike. She lifted her palms up and seemed to concentrate on something for a second before the currents that were rippling over her skin seemed to travel down her arms and flow outwards towards her target.

Instead of just shooting water like I assumed she had done to Emmett, she frowned in concentration and kept the water flowing as it reached Paige. She ran forward so fast that I could barely see the blur and propelled herself up into the air, twisting around so that she landed behind Paige and allowing her currents to engulf her opponent. I watched as the crystal like water seemed to crawl over Paige's body, twisting around her legs and arms until she was held suspended in the air, the previously roaring flames spluttering out as they were drowned in water.

'Holy crap Ang, where dya learn to do that?' she gasped, trying to move arms and legs but completely unable to until Angela released her.

'I…I dunno, I saw what you did with the vine thingy's and thought that maybe I could do the same thing instead of just firing water at people. I had to concentrate not to turn you into water though' she chuckled, releasing Paige from her prison and sending her falling back towards the grass. Luckilly, a handsome dark skinned vampire was there in a second to catch her easily before she hit the ground and she giggled at the chivalry.

'Wow…that was amazing Angela, I don't think you should let your dad see that though, I think he'd have a heart attack' I chuckled and she smiled timidly at me, her skin was no longer transparent but she still looked a bit worn out.

'I think that's enough for today, I know that all of us really need to shower and change and I know I for one need to hunt' Carlisle called and everyone grumbled, heading back towards the kitchen where Jasper was cleaning up the glass from before.

I decided it was probably about time to leave when the sun started getting lower in the sky and I realised it must be close to dinner already, I had planned a romantic evening out with Sue for tonight at LaPush that I was considering cancelling because of Leah's condition but she had assured me that she would be fine with Eric and Seth around. I figured she knew what I had planned for tonight because she winked at me as Sue hugged her gently goodbye.

I felt the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, the same anxious fluttering that I had felt years ago with Renee only magnified times a hundred this time. I was sure that every vampire in the house could hear my rapidly racing heart beat as I hugged Bella and gave Nessie a kiss on the cheek at the door. I was suddenly attacked by a tiny pixie that wrapped her cold stone arms around me and caused Sue to raise her eyebrow.

'She's going to say yes Charlie, don't worry so much about it' she whispered in my ear before releasing me with a giggle and hugging Sue as well.

I climbed into the cruiser to take us back home, even though my clothes were now dry, they were still slightly crumpled from the commotion earlier; besides, I didn't think that a t-shirt and jeans was what Alice would deem as acceptable for what I had planned for tonight, I groaned…I was spending too much time around suave vampires for my own good, pretty soon I'd be wearing Armani to go fishing.

'Honey, why is there a dress on my bed?' Sue called once we'd gotten home and I was in the bathroom washing up.

'What do you mean?' I called, coming out of the bathroom and heading into the bedroom to find Sue in her underwear and I had to force myself not to stare at the wonderful sight. She blushed slightly and rolled her eyes, holding up a hanger that held a deep red dress on it. I looked it over confused for a second before I felt a vibrating in my pocket. I pulled out my phone and read a text message from none other than the pixie herself, I should have known that this had something to do with her.

_Charlie,_

_The dress is perfect for tonight. I've seen it._

_Just tell her that it is a gift from Esme and she'll put it on. _

_Alice._

'Oh, Alice says it's a gift from Esme she uh…bought the wrong size and didn't realise until it was too late, she thought it would suit you' I explained, trying to keep my voice level. She shrugged and took it off the hanger, inspecting it under the light.

'It looks very expensive but it's so beautiful, I guess I can accept it if it's just going to go to waste' she mumbled to herself and I let out a small laugh, what is it that Bella keeps telling me? _Never bet against Alice_.

I tried to keep my attention on getting dressed as Sue slipped on the dress; I knew I was outrageously lucky to have such a beautiful woman actually love me back and I felt like a young man again every time I was with her, despite the fact that we both had fully grown kids, even a grand-daughter in my case. I dressed in the outfit that I found hung up, yet another Alice gift I thought as I eyed the black shirt suspiciously before shrugging and putting it on; I may as well wear it otherwise I'd risk angering a vampire.

I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was already six o'clock, the sun would be setting in about forty five minutes and I had to time this out perfectly so I ran downstairs to get the picnic I had prepared, I wasn't a very good cook but picnics only needed sandwiches right? I could make a sandwich. I opened the fridge and wondered why I even bothered being surprised anymore; again the meddling little vamp had stuck her nose in, though for this I was glad because I hated cooking. She had left a large wicker basket in the vegetable crisper and I opened it to reveal not only some delicious looking herbed bread but also a selection of fruit and cheese, some strawberries, cream and honey and finally a small bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses. I rolled my eyes at her presumption but nevertheless felt grateful that I wouldn't have to put Sue through eating ground beef sandwiches which were hardly the most romantic food.

'You ready Sue?' I called up the stairs after stashing the picnic basket in the car next to a blanket that I had found. I quickly checked my pocket to make sure the outline of the small box was still there and felt panic before I realised that I had moved it to the other pocket a few minutes ago, and sure enough I could feel the weight of it pressing against my leg.

'Yeah yeah, I'm coming. Jeez Charlie, what's got you all riled up' she chuckled, walking down the stairs and I audibly gulped at her appearance. The deep red dress was indeed perfect for her; it wrapped around itself and tapered in at her waist, causing a neckline that made me suddenly want to cover her up if any other men saw her. 'Hello…earth to Charlie! What's going on with you today?' she sighed, raising her eyebrow and I shook myself out of it.

'Sorry Sue you just look so lovely right now' I smiled, feeling a slight blush in my cheeks that mirrored the way her caramel cheeks were glowing.

'Oh you're too sweet' she smiled, kissing me softly and wrapping her arms around my neck from the bottom step. 'Come on chief, let's go' she grinned and pulled me out to the car where I managed to regain my wits long enough to open the door for her before climbing in my own side and starting the engine. 'So where are we going?' she asked, turning around in her seat to look at me.

'Oh nowhere special, I thought the weather was nice so we could have a picnic down at LaPush' I explained, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice as we drove towards the small parking lot next to the reservation's beach.

'Oh that's sounds quite nice actually' she smiled, giving me a quick kiss as I pulled into a spot and getting out of her side as I collected the basket and blanket from the back before leading her over to the small wooden boat that Billy had said I could use, I would have used mine but it smelt a lot like fish which wasn't really that romantic and we usually used my boat which meant that his smaller one was pretty much pristine.

'Here we go love' I said, laying the blanket over the wooden benches in the middle of the boat and helping her in.

'Really Charlie, I know it's our anniversary but if you wanted to go fishing you could have just asked' she groaned, raising her eyebrow as I began to paddle her out into the water.

'It's not a fishing trip Sue' I chuckled, happy at the distance we were at and placing the oars in their holders so I could open the picnic basket and pull out the food.

'So who'd you pay to give you the food chief, looks a bit more complicated that the usual corned beef sandwiches' she laughed and I huffed at how obvious it was that I hadn't prepared the food myself.

'A friend gave me a hand' I smiled, offering her a strawberry which she took and pit into, barely avoiding the juice as it flowed out.

We sat and talked for a while, sharing pieces of fruit and bread as the fireflies hopped over the rippling water. It was indeed very beautiful, Billy had been doubtful about the location but this just felt right, I knew it wouldn't really seem like me if I took her to a fancy restaurant or did the whole sky writing thing, so I was happy with the simplicity of this. It also helped that the glowing light of the sunset made Sue look more captivating than ever, the fading rays of light reflected off the ripples in the water and made her skin radiate warmth as she stared at the sunset as if in a world of her own. _It's now or never,_ I thought, swallowing past the dryness in my throat to try and ease the butterflies in my stomach.

'Sue?' I asked, barely above a whisper so I cleared my throat and she turned around, startled out of her reverie by her name.

'Yes chief?' she smiled, taking a strawberry and dipping it in cream in a very distracting way that almost made me forget why I had brought her here. I shook myself out of my fantasies and felt my cheeks heat again as I pulled one of her hands into both of mine, rubbing my thump in small circles over her soft skin. She smiled and placed her hand on my cheek, stroking the stubble that had grown since I last shaved. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, finding the words that I had rehearsed over and over again in my mind.

'You have no idea just how happy you have made me…' I began, she was about to interrupt but I placed a finger to her lips, smiling when she rolled her eyes in response. 'Let me finish honey' I continued before taking another deep breath, 'anyway, as I was saying before you tried to interrupt me, you have made me feel truly complete in the short time we've been together, it feels like we've been by each other's side for years and I see you not only as my best friend but as the woman that I have always wanted but never deserved' I whispered, raising my eyebrow when she tried to interrupt again.

'I love you Sue, more than anything. I have my daughter back in my life now and there is only one thing missing to make it perfect, and that's you. I never want to leave your side and I hope every day for you to be the one I wake up next to. I want more than anything to be your soul mate in every sense of the word. I could go on but I'm not very good at being all mushy and romantic so I'll just show you what I mean' I said, reaching into my pocket to retrieve the small red box from its depths.

I was so focused on watching the love mist her eyes that I didn't realise I had a poor grip on the velvet, realising almost too late that it was about to slip out of my hand and I had to almost jump over board to fish it out of the now darkening water before it sunk out of reach. In my haste to catch the ring, I had somehow managed not to not only knock the right hand oar into the depths but also apparently kick the left hand paddle as well so I watched horror struck as the wood sank beneath the surface, probably never to be seen again. I sat back upright, gasping slightly as I held the wet box to my chest, I was now almost soaked in water and I felt more heat flood my cheeks, thankfully the sun had almost disappeared so I hoped she didn't see my embarrassment. Unfortunately…she did. I huffed as she gripped onto the now oar-less side of the boat, trying to control the waves of laughter that were shaking her body.

'You…dropped…it…and…the oars…HA!' she gasped, wiping a tear from her eye and grinning up at me as the giggles subsided. I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly and let out a small laugh. _Trust me to ruin a perfect moment_. I decided it couldn't get any worse than this so I decided to pull the ring out anyway, she immediately stopped laughing and bit her lip as I opened the small box, revealing the stunning diamond and sapphire ring that my mother had been given by my father and that his mother had given to him. It was almost as old as some of the Cullens, I had been planning on giving it to Edward for Bella but he had his own family heirloom to present to her. I held the delicate white gold band in between my fingers and looked up her nervously, the fading light was glinting off the diamond and the tiny sapphires that trailed along the side almost shimmered in the dusk.

'So…do you think you'd like to marry a clumsy old fool?' I asked, feeling my stomach twist in anticipation as a tear streamed down her cheek. Was that good or bad? I hadn't wanted to make her cry. 'Sue…are you okay?' I asked, reached to wipe the tear away with a swipe of my now dry hand, she blinked a few time down at the ring and then looked back up at me, her smile was brighter than any I had ever seen before, causing me to grin back involuntarily as I mentally crossed my fingers.

'Yes you moron! Yes of course' she practically yelled, tackling my in a bone crushing hug before kissing me passionately for what felt like hours but was more likely only a few minutes. She laughed and leant her forehead against mine as I tried to slip the ring on her finger gently, I wasn't exactly graceful and I was trying to make up for my earlier faux-pas. She grinned and kissed me again as I revelled in the feel of her lips, I had believed myself to be far too late in life to ever feel the electricity of passion again, but the way she made me feel allowed me to be young once again as I lost myself in her embrace, feeling like a teenage boy experiencing his first kiss.

'One thing though Chief' she said with a beautiful grin. 'How do you plan on getting us out of here?'

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><p><strong>AN: A long chapter I know but I rarely get to do Charlie's POV. Besides, we need to know where Bella's hazardous balance comes from.**


	36. Happy Half DeathDay

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

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><p>Chapter 36: Bella POV<p>

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><p>'They're engaged. They're engaged. They're engaged. She said YES Bella…YES!' Alice sang in her tinkling voice as she skipped in circles around the kitchen island, Maddy was mimicking her mother's steps and skipping equally as gracefully behind her as she giggled. It was indeed one of the cutest things I had ever seen.<p>

'What's got my beautiful wife and daughter so riled up?' Jasper chuckled as he came in and caught Maddy half-way through her next lap, heaving her into his arms and tickling her.

'Apparently Charlie just proposed to Sue and she said yes. Isn't it wonderful' Esme smiled from the pantry where she was putting away the groceries that a couple of years ago would have only been for appearances, but was now a necessity in our house.

I felt a blossom of happiness burst to life in my chest for my dad, he would never admit it but he had felt lonely for years now, it had gotten better when I came back to Forks but there had always been something missing from his life. I was elated to see that sparkle in his eye, even stronger now than the dimmed memories I had of his happiness from my childhood that paled in comparison to his now ever present joy. Jasper had told me that his mood was so nice to be around, in fact I was surprised he hadn't creeped my father out with the way he seemed to gravitate towards him, though they had a lot in common to talk about so it usually went unnoticed by my dad.

'Oh but please, act surprised when they come over tomorrow. Sue wants to be able to tell everyone and we don't want to take that away from her' Alice smiled, still spinning around in small circles.

'I'll keep my mouth shut Alice, but you're the one whose most likely to jump on her and let slip that you've known for so long' I chuckled and she pouted at me, making her look so adorable that I had to laugh, 'why aren't they coming over to tell us tonight though?' I asked.

'Oh they're busy…_celebrating'_ she winked and I felt the urge to blush even though I couldn't.

'ALICE! That's just…ew…my dad! Ew ew ew, gross. Why'd did you tell me that?' I yelled, as I slapped my hands over my ears and squeezed my eyes shut in a vain attempt to stop the unwanted onslaught of mental images that she had planted in my head.

'You're the idiot who asked Bel-la' she laughed, drawing out my name and ducking when I threw a loaf of bread at her head, thankfully Jasper caught it before it could smash into anything and I shot an apologetic look over at Esme who rolled her eyes and mumbled something about _children_.

'What's this I hear about Charlie and Sue having raunchy sex? Hey do you think they role-play, I'm sure Rose and I have a few outfits they can borrow' Emmett laughed as he came in; receiving an angry slap from Rose when she realised that Maddy was in the room.

'EMMETT!' I ground out, glaring at him; I swear I was a second away from using all my left over newborn strength to render him incapable of having any type of sex, _raunchy _or not, ever again. His laughter died in his throat when he saw my murderous glare, I got an approving look from Rosalie, she was always the best when it game to the evil eye. I huffed and stomped with unnecessary vigour into the living room, being careful to keep my stink eye trained on Emmett until I was around the corner before I shuddered and tried to erase the last five minutes from my memory. I heard him laugh again and hissed as I made my way upstairs, the sound of Rose's slap still resounding in my ears as I walked up towards the music room.

I could hear the gentle tinkling of keys as I paced down the hallway towards Edward's sanctuary. The soft music came to a sudden stop only to be replaced by rusting and whispers as I neared the door, the sweet laughter of my daughter drifted towards my ears as I burst in, hoping to catch them in the act.

'GOTCHYA!' I yelled, causing Nessie to jump and look up at me, her large brown eyes swimming with mischief and excitement as she tried to control her laughter. 'What are you hiding from me my little loch ness monster' I whispered, crouching down so I was eye level with her; she grinned at the use of her nick name…I had only decided to use it because it made her laugh, if I had my way then she would stay _Renesmee_ forever, no matter how much of a mouthful Jake thought it was.

'Nothing momma…me and dad were just playing around' she giggled, shooting Edward a conspiratorial look as he smiled down at her.

'Oh really? Well you're forgetting one very important thing little girl, it's your bed time and if you really want to go to Seattle tomorrow you're going to need to sleep soon' I smiled, she stuck her lip out and rolled her eyes looking so much like her father that I felt my frozen heart almost start again as she crossed her arms and pouted at me in protest.

'You best listen to your mother Nessie, you know she hasn't hunted in a while and she might just get _hungry'_ Edward grinned, bearing his teeth in a menacing way that would make a normal person faint in fear but only caused my daughter to giggle before she ran off to get ready for bed. I sighed and settled myself on the bench next to Edward leaning into him as he kissed my temple.

'I wasn't just saying that love, you really do need to go hunt tonight' he whispered into my ear, causing shivers to run down my spine.

'Hmmm' I breathed, placing a gentle kiss against his hand, 'how about you come with me and afterwards we can visit our meadow' I smiled, hearing him chuckle.

'Deal' he laughed, getting up and grabbing my hand before forcefully pulling me to my feet and into his arms. I melted into his embrace, unhappy when the burn in my throat dampened my good mood and I groaned, stepping back and dragging him out towards the hallway.

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><p>'How was your meal m'lady?' Edward smiled, still looking impeccable after his own hunt whereas I still couldn't get through a single one without massacring my clothes.<p>

'Delectable m'lord, and how was yours?' I asked, jogging over and placing my arms around his neck as he ran his hands over my clothes with a raised eyebrow.

'Cleaner than yours by the looks of things, I think Alice would throw a fit if she was to see you right now' he laughed, gesturing at my ripped shirt. I shrugged and bit my lip, burrowing into his chest to breathe his scent.

'Alice schmalice, I can just change as soon as I get home and she'll never need to know. It'll be out little secret' I whispered, placing a soft kiss against his throat.

'Oh she'll find out, they'll be no escaping her wrath' he chuckled, 'I say we escape to our meadow and avoid the inevitable as long as we can'.

'Sounds like a plan' I sighed, taking his hand as we began the familiar path towards our own little fortress of solitude. It only took a couple of minutes to get there, seeing as our favourite hunting ground was nearby and I felt the familiar warmth of contentment as the trees parted, revealing a beautiful expanse of flowers that looked majestic even in the night. We took our usual positions in the centre of the meadow, lying down on the soft but slightly damp grass side by side. The peaceful moment soon turned into something else however when Edward began to trail soft kisses down my jawline, making my stomach flip and twist with each feather light kiss. I turned in his arms and decided it was time to take the lead, letting out a chuckle as I flipped him over and landed on top of him.

'Someone is in a good mood' he murmured into my neck causing me to laugh.

'Oh I'm just being my usual happy self' I smiled before attacking his lips again, revelling in the velvet softness of him.

After what felt like only a few minutes but was really more like several hours, at least according to the rays of light that were streaming through the trees and telling us it was morning, we decided to make our way back to civilisation and the rest of the Cullens. We weaved our way through the trees at a leisurely pace, stopping occasionally to share kisses with each other whenever the mood found us and I had a hard time remembering that we should really try hard to be back in time for when Nessie woke up.

Apparently Charlie and Sue were coming around for dinner tonight to _surprise_ us with the news of their engagement, even though we all knew thanks to Alice, vampire hearing and Charlie. I wanted to get the ordeal of shopping over and done with before they got to the house, shopping was hardly fun for me at the best of times, it was even worse when Alice was with me and the only reason why I was going was because Nessie wanted some new clothes and she had unfortunately taken after her aunts in that respect.

'Morning sweetie' I whispered as Nessie began to wake, she stretched and yawned in an adorable way that made my cold heart feel warm in response.

'Good morning momma' she sighed, rubbing her tiny fists in her eyes to wake herself up, she let out another yawn and then smiled a bright smile, all tiredness gone as she hopped out of bed and ran over to the closet.

'I see someone's excited' I laughed, moving over to help her get dressed.

'I haven't been shopping in _so_ long momma' she sang, pulling a brush through her hair as she hopped up and down on the balls of her feet in excitement.

'You're spending too much time with your auntie Alice' I smiled as I tied her shoes up.

'My ears have been burning' Alice chirped, dancing into the room with Maddy bouncing on her hip, she smiled at me in a way that told me she was planning a multitude of tortuous outfits to force me to try on today.

'I was simply stating that perhaps Nessie is turning into a shopaholic just like a certain _somebody_' I said, raising an eyebrow as she scrunched up her face in a false pout.

'It's a lot better than having no fashion sense at all _Bella_, perhaps you could take a page out of your daughters book and stop wearing jeans everywhere' she quipped, sticking her tongue out at me and causing Nessie's bell like laugh to join in with Maddy's.

'Whatever pixie, let's get going, I want to be back by dinner time and I have a feeling that it's going to take most of the day for you torture me' I sighed, rolling my eyes and heading out the door.

By the time we arrived in Seattle, the midday sun was high in the sky, thankfully covered by enough clouds that meant we wouldn't be caught sparkling when we got out. We had taken my Ferrari F430 which could only fit me and Alice while Rose followed behind in her Bentley with the kids. I wasn't very happy with the amount of attention we were gaining as we drove through the streets of Seattle, I could only be glad that their human eyes couldn't penetrate the tinted windows and reveal my embarrassment as we pulled into a large parking structure in the city centre.

_It could be worse. It could be worse. It could be worse_. I muttered to myself as we traipsed through the shopping centre with countless bags from almost every single store in the mall. Thankfully I had managed to talk Alice out of buying me more than the bare minimum, which was still more clothes than I really wanted to be forced into. The sheer amount of silk and satin she had thrown at me was enough to almost overwhelm me by the time we had reached the fifth store.

'Momma, can we go eat?' Nessie asked as we made our way out of the latest shop.

'Sure honey, there's a café just up here' I smiled, laughing when Alice gave me an annoyed look but didn't complain, she knew that the rest of us didn't need food or rest but was willing to allow Nessie some leniency. We made our way over to a small café in the food court and I had to control myself not to let out a loud groan when we finally sat down, not that I was in any physical pain from the hours of shopping but my emotional state was very fragile right now and I had to stop myself from physically attacking Alice every time she said either _camisole_ or _lace_.

'What are you so happy about?' I asked Rose after we'd ordered some lunch for Nessie and coffees for ourselves to blend in. She had a strange anticipatory smile spread across her lips as she gently stirred her latte, the same type of look that would worry me if I had seen it on Alice.

'Oh nothing, just thinking that's all' she smiled, winking at Alice who giggled conspiratorially.

'I swear if either of you are planning something I'll…' I had to think of something else to say because Maddy, Elsie and Nessie were all looking between the three of us with curiosity, '…_cuddle_ you both so hard that you can't…_hug_ any one for a month' I smiled menacingly.

'Oh calm down Bella, who got your panties in a twist?' Rose laughed, pouring sugar into her mug out of habit. I huffed and stuck my tongue out at her, causing Nessie to laugh at my childishness and spray crumbs out onto the table. I sighed and wiped up the mess, rolling my eyes at Alice who was suspiciously quiet.

Thankfully Alice didn't push too much more shopping on us after lunch, the kids all had a multitude of new outfits which we struggled, even with vampire strength, to fit into the trunks of our cars. We also had quite a few things for ourselves which Alice had not so subtly insisted that the stores deliver to our home. She figured that seeing as we had spent so much time and money that it was the least they could do, of course it helped that not only was she beautiful but Rose was giving them intimidating looks from behind her back. I doubted anyone could say no to the combination of Alice's enthusiasm and Rose's stink eye so eventually the stores agreed to send a van…yes an _entire_ van…down with the rest of our purchases.

'So uh...Bella, what exactly is it that you miss about your truck?' Rose asked as we got closer to Forks, Alice had decided to drive the kids back on our return and I was sort of glad I wouldn't have to spend the entire drive to her chatting about all the new clothes she planned on having me parade about in. I raised my eyebrow at her question but shrugged, remembering the ancient pick up that Charlie had given me when I first came to Forks.

'Well a lot of things I guess' I sighed, trying to list them in my head, 'firstly it was a gift from my dad and a memento from the beginning of a very…_turbulent_ time in my life' I chuckled, if you would have told me years ago what I would go through if I went to Forks, I would have never believed it, hell…I could barely believe it now. 'Also, I guess I've always liked old things' I explained and she snickered at my use of words, 'no you know what I mean' I groaned, feeling the urge to blush, 'I meant that I've always liked the classic things you know, classic music, classic cars and so on…I never really liked all the fast and new cars that you had and I much preferred the charm of my Chevy' I explained and she smirked at me.

'I was hoping you'd say that, I always had you pegged down as the vintage wheels type as opposed to the rest of us' she laughed, winking at me. 'I figured as much when I saw you eyeing Eleazar's car a few months ago, I'd never seen you look at any of our rides in that way' she smiled and let out a small laugh.

'I suppose, it's just that all these new sporty cars look the same to me, I much prefer the character of classic cars, plus my dad forced me to watch _Goldfinger_ like a million times when I was a kid' I chuckled, 'I guess they just stuck with me'. We were approaching the house now as the familiar trees passed by the window and Rose slowed down towards the driveway, that same smile growing larger the closer we got to the house. I looked at her suspiciously but she just tapped her nose and smirked, hopping out of the car without even parking it.

'Emmett! Get your butt down here now! It's time' she yelled before a large blur attacked her and threw her over his shoulders, she giggled and kicked out, laughing as Emmett span her around.

'Papa, do me next!' Elsie giggled, running out of the car as Alice pulled up and stopping in front of her parents with a huge smile on her face.

'Alright then princess' he smirked, placing a rather windswept looking Rose back on her feet and scooping up Elsie in the blink of an eye. 'How fast you want it? Cement mixer or turbo blend?' he grinned, tickling Elsie into fits of laughter. 'Oh, no answer is it? Well I suppose I'll have to just go fast then won't I?' he laughed, twirling her around in a blur as Rose rolled her eyes, attempting to straighten out the tangles in her long hair.

'Okay honey I think you've had your fun for now, we need to give Bella her surprise' she smiled, winking at him and ignoring the look that I shot her. Now that I focused I could hear an excited murmur coming from outside the garage and I mentally groaned. Now all the car talk and subtle glances made sense, I folded my arms across my chest to show that I wasn't happy.

'It's not even my birthday' I moaned, glaring at her as she shepherded me around the side of the house.

'No but it is the six month anniversary of you vampire birthday' Alice sang, skipping up to me and taking my hand. 'And as vampires we have a tradition of celebrating this particular date, it usually marks the accomplishment of making it six months without going into a newborn rage, and even though you have the whole weird _self-control_ thing going we're still going to celebrate' she laughed as she pulled me towards where everyone was standing around the garage; looks of anticipation and excitement on their faces. I focused on Edward's grin and frowned, he of all people could have warned me about this little _surprise_, but there he stood; only looking slightly guilty as Nessie held onto his hand.

'Fine, one gift but that's it' I huffed, pulling my hand away so I could cross my arms over my chest.

'Nope' she smiled, popping the p for emphasis and sticking her tongue out when I raised my eyebrow at her. 'Just learn to deal with it Bella, you know I'll get my way' she grinned and I rolled my eyes, she took it as a submission and clapped happily, dancing over to where Jasper and Maddy were waiting.

'Okay, we go first' Emmett grinned, running over to drop Elsie at Rose's feet before disappearing into the garage. The garage door lifted up a second later, revealing Emmett as he pushed a large object that was covered in a sheet out of the door. I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose, it was painfully obvious what this gift was and I couldn't stop myself from glaring daggers at Rose who just smiled back at me anticipatorily.

'Now sis, we know how much you miss your old Chevy truck and I suggested getting a replacement but my darling wife told me that she'd rather die than work on such a monstrosity, so we reached a middle ground' he grinned, whipping the sheet off and revealing a truly beautiful car beneath. It was sleek and stunning, obviously a classic masterpiece judging from the smooth lines and artful shape of the body. It was the first time since my dad gave me the truck that I actually felt anything about a car, my stomach did a little flip as I gazed and the shining and beautiful machine before me.

It was pretty much perfect for me; vintage and full of personality, so unlike the boring and repetitive sports cars I'd become accustomed to seeing, but also obviously fast and efficient.. It was the best of both worlds and I actually felt a thrill of excitement at the idea of being able to drive it, moving to run my hands along the glistening silver and velvet smooth metal.

'.God!' I gasped, tearing my gaze away from my new baby to Emmett and Rose who were grinning at me.

'I am so glad you like it sis, we were worried that you wouldn't ever appreciate cars like a normal person' Emmett chuckled, coming over and squeezing me in a bone crushing hug, 'but my wife had a feeling that all you needed was the right car and she reckoned that a classic set of wheels would go over better than anything else' he smiled as I hugged him back.

'Of course I love it, I'm sorry I was so apathetic towards all the other cars Rose but you were right, I only like the nice vintage ones' I laughed, giving Rose a hug and a quick peck on the cheek.

'I thought as much, it's a 1967 Chevrolet Stingray coupe' she explained, I had known it was a Chevy, but had no idea what exact model. 'Emmet and I found it rusting away in a scrap yard a couple of months ago and I just had a feeling that it may be just the thing to awaken the car enthusiast within you. Elsie helped rebuild the engine as well so I can assure you that everything about it is completely unique and will far surpass any other car out there, well apart from ours of course' she grinned and I hugged her again before kissing Elsie on the head in thanks.

'I love it, I really do. Thanks you guys' I smiled, gazing back at my car again. Edward seemed slightly grumpy so I turned to see what his problem was, raising my eyebrow in question.

'If I'd have known that this is what you wanted, I would never have gotten you the Ferrari' he grumbled, looking slightly chagrined at the idea that Rose had been able to guess something about me that he hadn't noticed. I sighed and stepped over to him, placing my hand against his chin and lifting his head so he could see me.

'I like my Ferrari too' I said, he gave me a look that proved he didn't believe me so I sighed, 'okay I don't like the Ferrari, but I don't want cars and gifts from you; you've already given me everything I need, so stop being a grumpy old man and remember that you don't need to buy my affections' I chuckled, kissing him softly on the cheek as he smiled back at me.

'Hey, does that mean you think I'm trying to buy your affections Bells?' Emmett gasped, feigning hurt as he clasped his chest. I laughed and shook my head, rolling my eyes at him.

'Yes and no' I laughed, 'no I don't think you're trying to buy my affection but it does help toward me forgiving you for your teasing earlier' I pointed out, waving my finger at him in mock outrage as I tried to avoid remembering the mental images of Charlie that he'd subjected me to earlier.

'Okay children, enough fighting. My turn!' Alice chirped, grabbing me suddenly and yanking me towards the garden where someone, probably Esme, had set up a sort of casual celebration, I hoped some of it was for Charlie and Sue because I didn't know if I could cope with being the centre of attention for too long. Everyone drifted over to the tables, sitting down and chatting while Alice left me hovering next to the largest table, disappearing into the house.

'Should I be scared?' I whispered to Edward as he pulled me into the seat next to him and Nessie, he chuckled and pressed me into his side, kissing my hair.

'You should always be terrified when it comes to Alice' he replied, causing an annoyed grunt to come from inside the house where Alice was doing god knows what. I laughed and melted into him, crossing my fingers that Alice wasn't going to submit me to something too tortuous. _Please don't be clothes, please don't be clothes_ I chanted to myself as I heard her flitting around inside the house before she ran out, carrying a giant bundle in her arms with a huge grin on her face.

'I was going to get you a new wardrobe but me and Jaz came across this on our hunt this morning and thought it would be a nice gift for you and Nessie' she smiled and I furrowed my brow in confusion, now that she was closer I could hear a heartbeat and smell the distinct animal smell that was similar to mountain lion but…less meaty. What on earth was going on? She seemed to sense my confusion because she rolled her eyes and placed herself in front of me, rolling down the blanket to reveal the tiniest and most adorable kitten cub I had ever seen. Its greyish brown and spotted fur was soft and silky as I ran my fingers over it, causing the small animal to purr in response. Usually animals would instinctively shy away from vampires, but this little one seemed perfectly happy to be cuddled by a vampire, not even flinching when Alice gently placed it into my arms.

'Oh he…or she…is adorable but, what do you want me to do Alice?' I asked as I scratched it under its chin while it tried to nibble my hand. I noticed the faint smell of blood on its fur and was thankful that it didn't make me want to drink, though it did bring my attention to its hind paws which were bandaged up from some injury.

'Well we found this little angel in a cave a few miles away, it appeared that it's mother and the siblings had been killed by another animal and this cub was left with injured legs, Carlisle patched her up. She's too young to survive out there alone so Jasper suggested we bring her back for you and Nessie' she smiled and Nessie squealed in excitement, gazing at the little cub. 'She's a bob cat, I'd say about two weeks old'.

'Oh, Alice' I gasped, reaching over to hug her as she giggled. I had never really imagined myself having a pet, though from what I knew about bobcats it wouldn't really be a pet so much, more like a random animal that lived with us, but I could tell that Nessie would love the adorable companion.

After that the gifts came quickly, amongst them I received a beautiful leather bound album from Esme and Carlisle, in which they had placed photos chronicling everything from the wedding to Nessie and onwards; I felt my eyes mist over as I hugged her in thanks, unable to fathom how much time and effort she had put into putting it all together.

I also got various bits and bobs from several other people, a diamond bracelet from Tanya and Kate, some soft driving gloves from Eleazar; apparently you couldn't drive a classic car without them. I also got a very nice braided necklace from Abbey and Lucas, it was similar to the intricate jewellery that I had seen on the Quileutes and I was surprised that they had taken the time to make something for me. I was completely overwhelmed by everything, almost unable to control my happiness when Edward pulled me into the music room and played a wonderful duet with Nessie that they had written together, it was like a more upbeat and longer lullaby, weaving around on a sweet melody that spoke of happiness and joy. I was fit to burst with contentment, surrounded by so many loved ones as the sunlight died away.

'Hey guys' Charlie called, coming around the corner with Sue and Leah who was now out of bed but still slightly weak. He looked positively glowing, they both did; they seemed more like a couple of love struck teenagers than middle aged people and I felt my lips curve upwards in a wide smile as I took in his ecstatic expression.

'I'm engaged!' Sue squealed like a school child who'd just been told it was a snow day, we all pretended to be shocked by the news but by Charlie's expression he guessed that the entire family was already well aware of their engagement. I shot him an apologetic glance as I hugged him in congratulations, rubbing his back.

'I really am so happy for you dad' I whispered, kissing him on the cheek and smiling back at him before going to hug Sue as well. She jumped slightly as my cold skin made contact with hers but hugged me anyway, after all, she would technically be my step-mother soon.

'You should have seen him Bella, it was hilarious' Sue laughed as we moved over to join the others and I noticed by dad blush slightly as she told us about his ridiculous mishap and how they had to call Billy to come and save them from being stranded in the middle of the lake.

'I _knew_ that Bella had to have gotten her clumsiness from somewhere!' Emmett guffawed, still laughing at my dad who was now grumbling to himself by Sue. I shot him a glare but rolled my eyes, I knew only too well that I had received by accident prone personality from Charlie, Renee had never had the same problem that he had when it came to self-inflicted casualties and it had seemed to intensify when he passed it on to me.

It was a wonderful night, the happiness and contentment I felt almost made me forget that in two short weeks we would be facing Vasilios and his followers in a fight that would threaten the safety of everyone I held dear. I couldn't help the cold dread that dampened my good mood as I sat surrounded by everyone I loved. What would I do if Charlie and Sue were hurt? I'd have to make sure that I got them out of town somehow, maybe I could buy them a couple of tickets away as an engagement present, yes…that would be a good way of ensuring their safety.

I had no idea what to do about Lucas and Abbey though, they had insisted on staying with us to help us fight but I couldn't help but wish that they would go back to Texas. Even though Vasilios and Elena had met them, they were still separated from the fight; I didn't want to drag them into something that they could easily escape from. But they were adamant on helping and there was nothing we could do to persuade them otherwise.

Either way, in two weeks, the shit was quite literally going to hit the fan. I could only hope that our strength and need to protect our loved ones would be able to overwhelm Vasilios and his madness; there would be no way of knowing who would win this fight.

The only thing we could do now was prepare ourselves, and hope to god that we were ready.

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><p><strong>AN: I suggest you google 1967 Chevrolet Corvet Stingray, it's beautiful.**


	37. And So It Begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: A shorter chapter this time my dears. Sorry.**

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><p>Chapter 37: Bella's POV<p>

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><p>It was close. The anticipation and dread in the air was palpable as we tried to go about our daily routine as if we weren't expecting an imminent attack. The last two weeks had been a blur of activity, from training in fighting techniques to trying to gain better control over our powers; there was never a day when we weren't all occupied by thoughts of the fast approaching battle. On top of it all, we had spent the last few days trying to act normal, as if it was easy to ignore the anxiety that clung to us with every movement, but we had to be sure that on the off chance Vasilios <em>was<em> watching, he wouldn't know that we knew. We knew that he was coming for us…and we were ready.

We were well aware that it would look suspicious if someone were to notice just how many vampires were in the house. Not only were all the Cullens here but we also had the Denalis, the rest of the committee and the pack with us, waiting for the moment when we knew that hell would reign down on us all. To combat this problem we were kept in the house for the last few days, only going out in small groups to hunt or get food while we all pretended that everything was fine. I knew to anyone spying on us from a distance it would seem as if there were only a few people living here; however the entire house was filled to the brim with people discussing tactics whilst attempting to stave off the fear that was threatening to consume us all.

What made it so much worse was that I couldn't do what I really wanted to do, and what I really wanted to do was lock Nessie away in a room and keep Elena away from her. It was hard knowing that at some point Elena would come and get her and that we would be unable to stop her from taking my daughter away. Alice had told us that no matter what decisions we make to prevent it, her vision remains the same. There was no way of stopping the kidnapping, I could only be thankful that we apparently manage to get to her in time to stop any permanent harm; the gift of Maddy's teleportation would allow us to save her as soon as we discover that she is gone, while deeming her attempts at distraction and dividing our forces futile.

I had argued with Edward, for the first time in a while, about whether we should tell her what would be happening. The children knew that something big was approaching, especially since Esme had turned their play room into a sort of vault, adding metal doors and steel shutters over the windows that even a vampire would have a hard time getting through; all in the hope that once they were all up there they would be safe from harm.

I didn't want Nessie to suffer through the trauma of being taken away by Elena. I wanted my daughter to be prepared, to be brave in the face of death once more and to know exactly what was coming. Edward disagreed, he believed that our daughter had no need to know that sometime soon she would be taken away from us and used as bait to make the family vulnerable. I knew better though, I knew that there was nothing more terrifying than the unknown. Even though it was frightening, I wanted Nessie to know that when she was taken by Elena that we would be there to save her.

I wanted to warn her so that when it happened she wouldn't need to be afraid, I shuddered to think of how she would feel if Elena took her by surprise, it would probably cause her so much distress that I much preferred she be taken with the knowledge that we had seen it happening and we would be able to save her from them.

In the end…I won. Much to Edward's annoyance I had decided to sit Nessie down and tell her the truth, deciding that readiness and bravery were more important than her innocence. She had spent the entire lead up to the Volturi not knowing whether or not she would live or die and I could see in her eyes that the uncertainty was as painful as the idea of losing her loved ones. I couldn't bear to see that sadness in her eyes again, I knew that even though she was still a child, a large part of her had matured in her early life and that same part would understand the need to be brave when Elena came for her. She couldn't be brave if she didn't know what was approaching, we _had_ to tell her.

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><p>'Momma, what's happening? Why is everyone so worried?' she whispered one day after having found me pacing around mine and Edward's bedroom as I was going over fighting tactics in my head. I turned to her and saw the fear, causing her usually angelic face to look pained as she gazed up at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She obviously remembered the atmosphere from when we were preparing for the Volturi and had figured out that we were in a similarly life threatening situation again.<p>

'It's okay sweetie…it's just that the horrible man we told you about, Vasilios, we found out that he's going to be coming here soon' I murmured into her hair, feeling her body stiffen in response as she froze in fear.

'He's…he's gonna hurt us isn't he? He's going to try and kill us like those other people did' she gulped and I nodded my head sadly, choosing to get it over with and tell her the truth.

'He's going to try Nessie; I'm not going to lie to you. But we're going to fight against him and we're prepared. He doesn't know that we're ready so we have a huge advantage' I explained and she gave me a watery smile as the tears ran down her cheeks.

'I know momma, you and daddy are strong and I know that there's no way they can hurt us if we're together' she whispered, placing her palm on my cheek and showing me the gathering of vampires from the battle with the Volturi. I must admit that we looked pretty intimidating through her eyes and I could sense the certainty she felt through the image, she was showing me that she was confident in our strength.

'Thank you honey. I believe we will beat them as well. But there is something you need to know, we weren't going to tell you this but I think you should know' I sighed, getting ready to tell her and hoping she would find the courage that I needed her to have. She looked up at me expectantly; worry once again lining her eyes as she furrowed her brow in confusion. I took a deep breath and wiped the remainder of the tears from her cheeks, pulling her tighter against my chest.

'Your Auntie Alice had a vision about the fight, she told us that at some point, a woman is going to take you away' I spoke softly, wincing when she began to cry again at my revelation. 'Shhh sweetie, I know it's upsetting. But trust me okay, I don't like it any more than you do but you need to be brave for me' I whispered into her hair as she sobbed quietly. 'Alice also told us that we save you and you're not harmed. Little Maddy takes us to you straight away and we manage to bring you back with us' I explained, 'so you won't be hurt. I'm telling you all of this because I know you're a big girl now and you're brave. I know that you'll feel better knowing the truth so that you can be prepared. Do you understand?' I asked, tucking some of her bronze hair behind her ear as she buried her face against my neck.

'I understand momma. I have to be brave' she mumbled, looking up at me and blinking away her tears. 'Thank you' she whispered as she gave me a weak smile.

'What are you thanking me for?' I chuckled, raising my eyebrow as the fearful mood began to dissipate.

'For telling me the truth' she smiled slightly, wiping her nose, 'I'm still scared. But I feel…better now I know what to expect and I trust you and daddy to find me'.

'Oh honey, you know we'll always be there for you no matter what. Of course we were going to come after you' I sighed, pulling her back into a hug and kissing her temple.

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><p>After that conversation, Nessie had taken to always having a brave face around the house. I supposed she wanted to prove to Edward that as long as we would be facing the fearful act of fighting off a group of vampires that the least she could do would be to show enough courage to face Elena. She spent the next several days taking it upon herself to ease the fears of her young cousins who were also well aware of the struggles that we would soon be facing, but completely incapable of properly dealing with it.<p>

I had sent Charlie and Sue away to New York for the week, they knew that something was coming but my dad was more than aware that he would stand no chance protecting Sue against something that would threaten a family of vampires, so he was only slightly reluctant to agree on the trip. If it wasn't for Sue's worries about Leah then I think he may have wanted to stay despite the danger, but Leah was still too weak to fight and Eric had managed to convince her to accompany Sue and Charlie on their trip.

'I can't stand just waiting around for something to happen' Emmett moaned, pacing back and forth in front of the sofa as Rose braided Elsie's hair.

'We have to at least try and act normal until they attack, they need to believe that we are none the wiser' Alice sighed from Jasper's lap where I could tell from his pained expression that he was trying to focus on keeping everyone calm, despite the fact that he himself was positively itching for battle.

'I just can't believe that my little girl is going to be gone soon' I whimpered from my position on the couch where I was curled up next to Edward.

'She been putting on a brave face but I can read the fear in her mind. No child her age should have to deal with that' Edward growled, almost crushing the television remote.

'I know honey, but I would much rather her be afraid but ready…than afraid and not knowing what's coming' I soothed, rubbing his back as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

'I can understand where you're coming from, but I hate to see my little girl afraid. She's upstairs right now trying to take her mind off it but it's all she can think about' he sighed, leaning into me.

'How do you think she'll be able to take her' Esme whispered, looking upstairs towards where we could hear Nessie delicately tinkling on the piano keys.

'That's what's confusing, I mean…she's with us all the time. Elena will probably have to choose the perfect time, when she's alone and the wind is moving in a certain direction so we don't smell her. She'll be blocking me from reading her mind…I just don't know how she'll get to her, it's not like we let her go far alone' he groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration.

'You don't think she'd run off by herself do you?' Esme gasped and I shook my head.

'She knows the situation, she wouldn't do something like that. Elena will probably wait until everyone else is separated from her and will probably rely on a head start and erasing her tracks to lose us' I whispered.

'You mean…separated like we are now…' Emmett gulped and I suddenly stiffened in Edward's arms.

Edward was about to say something to comfort me when his nostrils suddenly flared, accompanied by a hiss that was joined by a few of the others. I looked at him with confusion until it hit me too, a faint trace of decay tinted with sour cherries drifted down from the music room and I shot to my feet, flying up the stairs followed by Edward and Jacob.

Right as we burst into the room the first thing I noticed was a mess of papers everywhere, some still floating to the ground as the wind blew in from the wide open window. I ran to the sill and growled as I failed to spot my daughter; I knew what was happening…this was it. This must have been Elena. Even though we had been prepared for it, I still felt a cold wave of panic wash over me as fear began to overwhelm me. I had to shake it off, I had to think…what was it we do, YES…Maddy.

I spun around and looked at Edward who nodded silently at me and followed me back downstairs, appearing by my side in the living room less than a second later. All of their faces twisted around to face us, looks ranging from angry and anticipatory to worried and fearful. Alice most of all wore a mask of anxiety that marred her usually joyful features as she looked between me and Edward and then to Maddy who was gazing up at her curiously. She sent me a silent question with a look and I nodded quickly, desperate to get to my daughter as soon as possible.

'Maddy honey, you remember what we talked about the other day' she whispered and Maddy gulped, nodding hesitantly before a look of determination scrunched up her tiny face. She bit her lip and ran over to us, standing in between me and Edward and taking each of our hands in her own shaky grasp. Carlisle ran his hands over his face before shooting us a worried look, rushing over to stand in front of Edward and placing a hand on his shoulder.

'Good luck son' he whispered before a golden haze enveloped us and the room around me disappeared in a swarm of light.

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><p><strong>AN: Again, I know it was a short chapter but I feel that for the pace of the action it needed to be. R&R please :D**


	38. Front Line

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: I'll be switching POVs a lot in this chapter so that you can get the full side of the battle. Enjoy :D**

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><p>Chapter 38: Nessie's POV<p>

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><p>I needed to get away. My whole family looked so scared all the time that I felt like I was drowning in all of the fear that was around us; I missed the happy laughter that I usually heard around the house, it was now so cold and full of worry that I was being suffocated. I couldn't stand just waiting around in the living room with the rest of them, I know that momma didn't like the idea of me going off alone, especially when I was apparently going to be taken really soon, but I hated seeing them in so much pain and I didn't want them to see me upset. I sighed and placed my fingers on the piano, gently going over the notes of the song that me and daddy had written for her.<p>

I was lost in thoughts as I tried to improve my playing, when a sudden breeze shocked me, bringing with it a disgusting rotten smell that drifted over to me as I tried to stop the papers from flying everywhere. I spun around to see what the horrible old smell was and let out a silent gasp when I saw them, trying without success to make my heartbeat slow down and keep the fear from showing.

She looked like a witch; that was really the only way to describe her as she grinned at me. Her pointy nose and chalky skin made her bright red eyes look even more bulging as she stared at me, her dark frizzy hair blowing out in the wind. I couldn't tear my eyes off her as she climbed through the window, frozen in shock and anxiety as they came closer. I wanted to scream but couldn't, it was if my throat had dried up and all I could do is breath quickly as she and another dark haired man sped over to me silently; I remembered what momma had told me about this and knew that I had to be brave. I gulped loudly and clenched my fists, their blood coloured eyes and the stench of death the last thing I remember before everything went black.

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><p>Bella's POV:<p>

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><p>The golden haze lifted and I felt my body materialize as the scent of forest surrounded me. I quickly grabbed Maddy and launched into the air, placing her on a large branch high up a tree and telling her to stay there, she blinked a few times but nodded silently, gripping onto the bark so hard that parts started to crumble off in her tiny fists. I dropped back onto the ground just as Edward bent forward in a crouch, facing Elena and some other vampire who was holding Nessie roughly in his pale arms.<p>

'What the fuck!' she hissed, bending into her own crouch as she stared at us in shock. 'You aren't supposed to find us! We covered our tracks!' she spat, looking at us in confusion and hatred.

'It helps to have a teleporter but never mind about that' I growled, glancing briefly at Nessie and noting that she was unconscious though thankfully otherwise unharmed. 'I'm not here to talk Elena, so hand over my daughter and I may let you die quickly you old bitch'.

She laughed and gestured to the male vampire, I stiffened when he roughly passed her my daughter and she groaned slightly as Elena gripped her in her arms, curling her claw like fingers around my daughter's fragile throat.

'Georgio, take care of the mind reader…this little cow is mine' she hissed and I had to jump out of the way when the male vampire launched himself at Edward, going straight for his throat. _Sloppy sloppy_, never go for the obvious kill. I couldn't pay much attention to Edward and his opponent as they fought; my gaze was intent on the crone as she held Nessie in a death grip which I was sure could kill her in a second with one flick of her wrist.

I had no idea what to do. On the one hand I wanted nothing more than to have Nessie back in my arms while on the other I wanted to rip Elena apart, limb from limb. I couldn't do anything without risking my daughter's safety and I felt torn, I was quite literally trapped.

As if by a miracle, a familiar golden light began to cover Nessie's body, her limp form fading from Elena's grasp before she completely disappeared altogether. Thank god. I assumed that Maddy had teleported her to safety so this was my opening, Elena was still glancing down at her empty hands in bewilderment before spinning around in a futile search for the only thing that had been preventing me from ripping her apart.

I flew at her with lightning quick speed, using all of my strength to hurtle towards her and tackle her to the ground. I would have assumed that being an ancient crone she would have at least picked up some skill but her moves were untidy and chaotic as she swiped at me, barely able to gain the upper hand for more than a millisecond at a time. I leapt into the air, twisting at the last minute to avoid her fist as she shot it towards me clumsily, hissing in outrage when I gracefully span over it and instead grasped her arm. I shoved my foot against her collar bone and gripped onto the pale white limb with all of my strength, hearing a loud metallic screech as her marble skin tore at the joint. Echoing screeches resounded from about twenty feet away where the blurred forms of Edward and Georgio were dancing with each other and I was relieved to see that Edward had gained the upper hand, quite literally, when he ripped one of his opponent's hands off with his teeth and spat it out of his mouth.

My attention was brought back to the pain filled shriek of Elena as I made one last tug, yanking her arm away from her body and growling as I kicked back off her to land back in a crouch. She recovered pretty quickly and I didn't have a chance to dispose of her severed arm before she flew at me, her mouth opened in a deathly snarl that reminded me somewhat of a blood thirsty shark as her venom coated teeth glimmered in the light. What she lacked in technique she certainly made up for in ferocity I briefly thought as she screeched a feral growl and aimed for my neck. I barely had time to keep her snapping teeth away from my throat and realised with a flicker of amusement that I had actually ended up thrusting her own severed arm across her jaw, effectively blocking her mouth like a muzzle on a rabid dog.

I used the new leverage to plant my foot in her stomach with as much force as I could muster, grabbing onto her shoulder and throwing her body up into the air so that she landed sprawled on her stomach. Not wasting a second as I rammed my knee into her back, holding her in place as her remaining arm scraped across the forest floor, desperately trying to gain purchase against the muddy ground. I took my chance and gripped her neck, ignoring her outraged hiss as I twisted her head roughly from her body and slumped back on the undergrowth, panting and slightly grossed out as I flung her wiry head away from me. I look up to see that Edward had already taken care of the other vampire, a pile of purple flames at his feet as he added Elena's body parts to the pyre.

I scraped the mud and leaves from my trousers, melting into Edward as he ran over and held me tight, murmuring and kissing along my jawline. I smiled up at him and took his hand before walking over to where Maddy and Nessie were laying against the base of the tree. Obviously Maddy had teleported back down with Nessie, who was still unconscious as I knelt down so that I was almost eye level with her and ran my hands through Nessie's hair, thankful that her pulse was steady and she appeared to be intact.

'Are you okay Maddy?' I whispered; I could see she looked slightly shell shocked and her eyes kept flickering back to the fire behind us.

'Yeah Auntie Bella…I was just scared for a little bit and I didn't want any of you to get hurt' she smiled faintly, getting to her feet as Edward scooped Nessie into his arms.

'It's okay now honey, we're safe but we need to get back home and help everyone else' I spoke softly, trying to keep the worry out of my voice. 'When we get back I want you to transport Nessie straight up to the playroom okay, Esme should be waiting for you and once you get there don't come back out until someone comes to get you okay?' I asked and she nodded hesitantly, closing her eyes in concentration as the golden orbs surrounded us once more, turning my view of the forest and the burning remains of Elena into a white haze before I felt myself disappear once again.

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><p>Angela's POV:<p>

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><p>I gazed anxiously at the glowing remnants of Edward, Bella and Maddy as they disappeared in front of me. I knew what this meant; according to Alice's time line we would be expecting an attack any moment now that the <em>distraction<em> of kidnapping Nessie had taken place. I had been worried about her safety but Alice had assured us that no matter what happens, Nessie survives, so I felt a little better after hearing that. Even though the fear of the imminent attack from Vasilios was still there in the background, it was easily overwhelmed by my intense hatred towards the prick. I had spent the last month imagining a multitude of ways to make him pay for everything he's done to the people I hold dear and I felt a thrill of anticipation at the idea of putting an end to him.

I sighed and leant into Nahuel's chest, smiling despite the tense mood of the room when he placed a tender kiss on the top of my head, wrapping his arms around me. I looked up as Carlisle received a phone call, murmuring almost silently into the cell phone before snapping it shut and standing up with a determined yet anxious expression on his face.

'That was Anthony, he's spotted Vasilios and his followers, we should probably head outside' he explained, kissing Esme on the forehead before she herded Elsie and Zack upstairs to the safety of their newly re-enforced playroom.

We had a plan to put in motion; Anthony, Oliver, Eleazar, Emmett, Lucas, Jacob, Seth and Sam were in the forest that outlined the house, skilfully masked by Nelle, who had learnt to extend her power over up to ten people at a time over the past few weeks. They were for all intents and purposes completely invisible to all senses as they perched up in the trees; the plan was that Vasilios and his cronies would come and attack us in front of the house while the others would sneak around and appear behind them, making it impossible for them to retreat once they realised that we were far more prepared than they'd expected.

I followed everyone else outside, standing beside Paige and Jasper as we were the front line of defence; me and Paige because we were the ones with the most fast acting and apparently formidable abilities and Jasper because he was..._Jasper_, enough said really. Nahuel, Alice, Rose, Carlisle, Kate, Garrett and Carmen circled out behind us, dipping into ready crouches as the wolves padded out of the trees, already quietly growling in anticipation with Abbey in the front, her tiger form standing out amongst the rest. Tanya, Violet, Eric, Katlyn and Thomas were waiting in the forest behind us on the off chance that any of Vasilio's group managed to slip past our many layers of defence.

I could hear them now, they were almost silent as they moved towards us and I could tell that if we had not been aware that they were coming, we would indeed be caught by surprise. The breaths of their clothes brushing against the undergrowth were the only indication that they were approaching us…_only about thirty second now_ I thought as I called upon my gift and felt the welcome response of my skin rippling with power, the forceful currents of water flowing through my very veins as I readied myself for the fight.

I could see them, they were murmuring amongst themselves with sadistic grins stretching their faces so they hadn't noticed us yet, I waited eagerly for the moment they would realise just how screwed they were. They had already passed the point where I knew Nelle was keeping the others hidden so I knew that even if they did try and retreat they would be unable to make it far. Sure enough, as they made their way forwards I saw the forms of Emmett and the others become visible, the wolves amongst them already phased as they slunk outwards, creating a wall behind the unsuspecting Vasilios.

And then they saw us.

Our scents would have already been registered by them but I assume that they only just now heard the heartbeats of the shifters and sensed our presence. It was almost in slow motion as Vasilio's pale and ashen face lifted upwards, his crimson eyes burning with surprise and a hint of fear as he took in our determined expressions. I hissed low in my throat, a truly angry sound as his group faltered and came to a pause about fifteen feet in front of us. Some of the other vampires with him seemed to finally realise the situation they were in, glancing around nervously at the angry expressions of Emmett and the others as they saw their escape routes blocked on all sides.

'Well…it seems that my wife underestimated her talent to block the future seer' Vasilios spat, causing Jasper to hiss angrily and Alice to merely giggle and raise her eyebrow.

'It's not our fault you didn't have all the information' she sang, her beautiful laughing voice ringing out across the garden like melodic chimes, causing Vasilios to flinch slightly.

'Regardless, we don't necessarily need the element of surprise to fight this miss-matched group of abominations and blood traitors' he hissed, anger and madness dripping like acid from his words, 'it's about time that your ridiculous views and disgusting acceptance of mutants was put to an end and I can take charge of the mockery you have made of us all. So forgive me if I don't feel like making small talk but I really don't feel that patient' he grinned sadistically, obviously signalling for the hesitant vampires with him to attack. They shook themselves out of their shock and took on equally as disgusted expression, choosing to quit the chat and launch straight into the offensive. _Good_, I thought, I was growing tired of waiting…time to kick some ass.

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><p>Jasper's POV:<p>

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><p>The pure hatred rolling off this man was much stronger than anything I'd ever felt before, I didn't need to worry much though because it just gave me more determination to wipe the smirk off his face once and for all. I was impressed with Angela's composure though, not only was she keeping herself remarkably focused but she wasn't letting her anger at what Vasilios did to her overwhelm her, which was really saying something for a newborn.<p>

I was pulled out of my analysis of the emotions flooding my senses by the attack of of Vasilios' minions which was accompanied by a huge spike in their hostility; I could feel an unbelievable wave of excitement erupt from Emmett as he waited for his turn. I rolled my eyes and leapt forward, picking a tall and gangly sandy haired man as my first opponent and I could feel the predatory grin stretch across my face as he took in all of the scars that were painted across my pale skin, a clear reminder to any vampire up against me that I was _not_ to be taken lightly.

I grinned as he flew towards me, choosing fight over flight when he saw that his exit was blocked by a couple of growling wolves. I span through the air, landing a punishing blow to his chest that made a resounding crack sound of marble being beaten by a sledge hammer, not giving him a second to recover, I gripped one of his arms and ripped it off in a swift motion, making his screams ring out amongst the battle cries of the rest of my family.

He was a disappointing opponent, easily dispatched after only a few minutes of one sided fighting before I chucked his body parts to the side and moved onto my next target.

It went that way for a while and soon enough I found that there were no other viable candidates to test me in battle, only five vampires remained after about an hour of fighting and I decided to flood the remaining vampires with extra doses of unease and fear as they attempted to fight us off. I saw with great relief that a golden glow appeared at the edge of the garden, my daughter was thankfully unharmed as she materialised alongside Bella and Edward, who was carrying an unconscious but otherwise healthy looking Nessie in his arms.

'Maddy, take Nessie and teleport to the third floor where your cousins and Esme are, tell your grandmother that Nessie is okay but to keep an eye on her if she wakes up. Hurry, and don't come out of the room once you're in there okay!' Bella called out to my daughter who nodded quietly and disappeared in a swarm of light. I knew she was safe now and I let out a sigh of relief as I picked up someone's marble arm and tossed it into the fire next to the river just as Edward and Bella jumped in to help Carlisle out with a particularly stubborn vampire.

Pretty soon it was only Vasilios left, his red eyes darting around as his madness disappeared to be replaced by the fear of knowing that this was it for him. He had witnessed Bella and Edward's return with Nessie and had been letting out a slew of curses for the last few minutes as he attempted to dodge Angela's powerful torrents of water, he was already missing a hand and could tell that he was trapped, all of us having finished off his little gathering and now casually standing off to the side as Paige ignited any remaining body parts before joining Anthony to watch Angela's confrontation.

We watched Vasilios as he straightened up, vainly attempting to keep his dignity as he glared at Angela, his crimson eyes burning with hatred with a flicker of shock and unease at Angela's power. She in turn just growled at him, her arms completely transparent like crystal as the torrents of water flowed outwards from her finger tips, writhing across the ground.

'So it looks like I made a mistake by leaving you in that warehouse' he snarled, jumping to the left to avoid another swipe of Angela's gift. If she really wanted to I could tell she could have easily killed him by now but she was giving him the illusion of being able to talk himself out of it, perhaps even show some remorse. 'I should have brought you back with me, you would have made quite the addition to us' he said, his papery lips stretching in a smile that I was sure was supposed to be confident but looked more like a grimace.

'HA' Angela huffed, raising an eyebrow at him, 'I would rather die than spend any time with you, you decrepit old ass!' she laughed causing him to hiss in response.

'Someone should teach you some manners little girl, who do you think you are talking to?' he growled, bristling at her insult.

'I don't think you're anybody' she smirked, 'you're just a silly old man who's gotten it in his head that he's more important than he really is' she replied, cutting him off when he tried to yell something back, 'and whose pitiful attempts at controlling people have gotten him nowhere but hated. I'm going to put you in your grave old man, you no good, wrinkly…ass face!' she snarled, ignoring Emmett's laughter at her less than eloquent insult.

Vasilios could tell that his time was up as she circled him, instead deciding to attempt to escape as he wheeled around and blurred back towards the forest, only to be cut off as a vivid fire ball was launched into his chest by Paige, causing him to fly through the air back towards Angela. Without a seconds delay she whipped her arms up, forcing currents of crystal water upwards and weaving them around his limbs in a similar hold to the one she had practiced on Paige a few weeks ago.

'Any last words Vasilios' she smiled, sending more water out so that he was immobile before her, trapped in twisting streams of water. His eyes narrowed as he struggled, attempting to pull free his limbs only to find that it was impossible.

'You let me down right now you little bitch' he snarled, still adamant in his belief that he was powerful. She shrugged and smiled at him, raising her eyebrow.

'Be that way' she snarled, before flexing her fingers one last time and forcing the crystalline arms to constrict around him as the sound of screeching metal merged with his own screams. His pale body was ripped apart in a torrent of water, the marble limbs tearing away as he shrieked in pain, only to have his screams cut off when another vine of water decapitated him, launching his head into the air as it erupted in red flames, courtesy of Paige who winked at Angela.

'Well…' Angela huffed, 'that was easier than I thought.'

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><p><strong>AN: Oh Angela is feisty! R&R please.**


	39. Closure

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM's character, SM does : ( All new plots, characters and their powers are from my mind vault though.**

**A/N: Here we go cats and kittens...final chapter : ( **

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><p>Chapter 39: Bella's POV<p>

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><p>The forest disappeared in a golden haze, only to be replaced by a scene of chaos the next second as we materialised in the middle of a fight. I had to stifle a shriek when I saw Rose's arm get ripped off, the metallic screeching was almost deafening as the small white haired woman she was fighting snarled in alleged victory. I was mesmerised as Rosalie shrugged, raising her eyebrow as she blinked away the pain she must have been in and gestured behind the woman towards the very angry Emmett.<p>

'Don't you dare ever lay a hand on my wife!' Emmett bellowed, ripping up the remainder of his opponent and coming over in a flash, grabbing the vampire in a steel embrace that I was sure she would never be able to break out of.

'Um honey, could you…' Rose asked as she pointed at the marble limb that was twitching at the vampire's feet as she struggled to break free of his grip. He growled at the woman and kicked Rose's arm over, sending an air kiss with it as she picked it up with her remaining arm and held it to her shoulder, wincing slightly as the limb reattached itself. _So that was what happened when a vampire lost a limb…strange_. She smiled in thanks before turning her attention back to the woman, her smile turning into a snarl as she leapt onto her and ripped the pale head from the body.

All of this happened in only a few seconds and I shook myself out of it as Emmett and Rose high fived, turning around to meet their next opponent. I realised Maddy was still with us and looked down at her, I told her to go and transport Nessie upstairs to Esme, hoping that she would be smart enough to listen to me and stay up there out of harm's way. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if something happened to my niece. I looked up at Edward once we could hear Esme fussing over Nessie, satisfied that she was safe and sound. I kissed him quickly on his soft lips and smiled slightly before turning around and scanning the scene for any possible attackers. I spotted Carlisle circling a particularly stubborn looking vampire who could almost rival Emmett in size and muscle; he had a look of sheer determination on his face as he snarled at Carlisle, his pale and muscled arms spotted with fresh bite marks where chunks had been ripped out of his skin.

I ran forward as Edward wordlessly guessed my intention, running by my side as we weaved in and out of dancing fighters as they twisted and weaved in combat; it would be quite stunning to watch if they weren't the same people who were trying to rip my family apart, I managed to narrowly avoid the swipe of someone's fist as they attempted to catch me off guard, using my shield to briefly wrap around them and hurl them towards a couple of the pack wolves who seemed desperate to get in on the action. They growled at their new opponent, sending a small bark of thanks in our direction as I waved over my shoulder, coming to a stop next to Carlisle and Edward.

'Is Nessie alright?' he grunted, ducking to avoid the bearlike swipe of his opponent's arm as Edward circled around back.

'Yeah she's safe, we took out Elena and some ass named Georgio' I rushed, jumping up and onto the vampire's back before being flung off again and landing on the other side of him. Carlisle nodded and smiled slightly, grabbing onto the man's arm and using his weight against him to push him towards Edward who gripped his other arm and forced him to his knees. I took the chance and methodically placed my hands on either side of his head as a snarl of curses ripped from his mouth, the words _abomination_ and _freak_ becoming garbled as I twisted with all the force I could muster, falling back with his large head in my arms, his crimson eyes still set in a glare.

'Ew' I muttered, tossing his head into a fire a few feet away as Carlisle and Edward tore up the rest of his body, adding the pieces to the flames.

My attention was torn away by a loud screeching snarl and I spun around just as a tiger leapt through the air and over me, I had briefly worried that perhaps Abbey or Lucas had mistaken me somehow for an opponent but instead of landing on me like I had thought they would do, the tiger flew in an arc over my head and I twisted around to see it land its claws on the chest of a tall dark haired man that I hadn't noticed before.

'I should have expected some of these creeps to have gifts' Edward growled as she ran over to me, I looked at him with a questioning expression. 'He has a power that enables him to disorientate people, making it almost impossible to know where he is and leave you open to an attack, he almost got you' he sighed, closing his eyes and pulling me into a hug. 'Thank god that it doesn't appear to work on shifters'.

I felt a cold shiver come over my body, I hadn't noticed at the moment but when the tiger leapt at him he must have been literally right behind me, if his gift was powerful enough to allow him that close without my noticing I had no trouble believing he could have killed me in an instant, especially as he seemed to be able to penetrate my shield. Even Edward's mind reading couldn't guess at his actions in time and I was suddenly grateful for the presence of the shifters as I watched a tiger and two wolves rip him apart with their teeth, their growls almost deafening as the vampire screamed in pain one last time before his head was gone.

Silence rang out around me, the rumbling growls of the wolves and the snarls of Abbey and Lucas were the only sounds as they dragged the marble pieces over to the fire. It wasn't over completely, I was acutely aware that Vasilios was still here, frozen in panic and surprise at the sight before him; his comrades lay in pieces, their remains burning to ash before his eyes as we all sank back and encircled him with the wolves, leaving Angela slightly ahead of us as she crouched before him.

'So it looks like I made a mistake by leaving you in that warehouse' Vasilios snarled, shooting daggers at Angela who was still composed despite her hatred of them.

I was slightly shocked that he hadn't even battered an eyelid at me and Edward's appearance, only briefly flickering his gaze towards us before settling back on Angela. He showed barely any emotion at the thought of his wife; he must know that Edward and I killed her; otherwise we wouldn't be here now. It truly _was_ just a distraction; he was perfectly willing to sacrifice her without a second of hesitation, seeing her as collateral damage in his quest for power and supremacy. It was sickening, even Victoria had cared enough for her mate to want revenge, no matter how twisted that revenge turned out to be, but she still loved him in her own way. Vasilios on the other hand saw everyone as pawns, not caring even the slightest that his wife was now ashes.

'I should have brought you back with me, you would have made quite the addition to us' he spoke thoughtfully, the same shine in his eye that Aro used to get when confronted with a power that he wanted.

'HA' Angela chuckled, raising an eyebrow at him, 'I would rather die than spend any time with you, you decrepit old ass!' her laughter caused him to hiss, obviously he expected everyone to treat him like royalty, even his enemies.

'Someone should teach you some manners little girl, who do you think you are talking to?' he growled, bristling at her insult.

'I don't think you're anybody' she smirked, 'you're just a silly old man who's gotten it in his head that he's more important than he really is' she replied, cutting him off when he tried to yell something back, 'and whose pitiful attempts at controlling people have gotten him nowhere but hated. I'm going to put you in your grave old man, you no good wrinkly…ass face!' she snarled, I tittered along with Emmett who had outright laughed at Angela's use of words, it was quite difficult to come up with good insults in the heat of the moment and I knew that if was me facing him I probably would have ended up saying something just as childish by accident.

His time was up, I watched in awe and slight worry, trying to stop myself from running forward and helping my friend even though I knew she was more than powerful enough to deal with him herself. She needed this; out of all of us she was the one who had been put through more hell than any person should ever experience and all at the hands of this man. Even though Leah had almost died and Vasilios probably had countless victims, it was still Angela who he had taken the time to torture, emotionally and physically with his sadistic games. If any of us deserved the right to turn him to ashes, it was her.

'Any last words Vasilios' she smiled as she sent more of her powerful water out so that he was immobile before her, trapped in twisting streams of water. His eyes narrowed as he struggled, attempting to pull free his limbs only to find that he was unable, it was somewhat similar to my shield, the flowing power held on to him, an extension of herself.

'You let me down right now you little bitch' he snarled, still adamant in his belief that he was powerful and I rolled my eyes in his direction, he really didn't know when to stop did he? She shrugged and smiled at him, raising her eyebrow.

'Be that way' she snarled, before flexing her fingers one last time and forcing the crystalline arms to constrict around him as the sound of screeching metal merged with his own screams. His pale body was ripped apart in a torrent of water, the marble limbs tearing away as he shrieked in pain, only to have his screams cut off when another vine of water decapitated him, launching his head into the air as it erupted in red flames, he was dead.

'Well…' Angela huffed, 'that was easier than I thought.'

I laughed at her nonchalant comment, she was more shaken than she was letting on, the relief of finally getting back at the person who had torn her life apart and forced her to kill Ben was causing her to shake silently as Nahuel came forward and wrapped her in his arms. She closed her eyes and breathed in his sent, calming down as a small but sad smile graced her lips. I went over and placed my hand on her shoulder, smiling when she looked up at me.

The problem was that no matter how much Vasilios had deserved to die, she was still kind and I could tell that the idea of killing someone in cold blood had shaken her like it did with me. But we only used violence as a last resort, I knew that all of those who we had killed recently had to die, their future victims were still alive now thanks to us. I told her all of this, she smiled gently and nodded, understanding the truth behind my words before sighing and pulling me into a hug, gripping on slightly too tight with her newborn strength, but I let her anyway.

'I know Bells, I'll be okay. He deserved to die a painful death but I guess I never thought of myself as a killer' she mumbled into my hair.

'You're not a killer, you're a protector' I told her, 'in this family we only fight to keep those we love safe, that's what you did. You're a part of this family now Ang' I smiled and she laughed, her mouth was open to say something when she suddenly disappeared, a large blur caught her and the next second she was trapped in an air tight hug, Emmett's large arms encircling her as he crushed her to him.

'That was awesome Ang!' he chuckled, bouncing her up and down as she laughed breathlessly, her oxygen supply was obviously severely hampered by his bone crushing hug. I rolled my eyes at his excitement, or _Emmettness _as I liked to call it, and sighed as she struggled to break free.

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><p>'Nessie sweetie, how are you feeling?' I whispered, brushing her bronze curls from her face as she mumbled sleepily. She had only just woken up, the stress of the last couple of days and the head injury that Elena had given her had caused her to lose consciousness for the last fifteen hours while the battle and ensuing clean up took place. Thankfully her injuries were minor and her hybrid body had easily healed them quickly, she was mostly just in need of a decent meal and maybe a hunt according to Carlisle. She opened her eyes groggily and squinted at the light, groaning slightly before Edward got up and closed the curtains for her.<p>

'Better?' he asked, coming back to sit next to me on the edge of her bed.

'Yeah' she sighed, pushing herself up into a sitting position and smiling when she saw what she was wearing. Esme had dressed her in her favourite pyjamas which were a fluffy one piece with a hood that had bunny ears on it; they made her look like a giant stuffed rabbit. She laughed her delicate chime-like giggle and smiled up at us, jumping over and grabbing us both in a hug that showed just how much her strength was increasing as she matured.

'Is everything okay now? Are they gone?' she asked, sitting back on her knees and looking up at me hesitantly.

'Yes they're gone, they won't be bothering us again' I assured her, smiling when the worry vanished from her eyes and she sighed in relief.

'Did you kick their asses?' she asked, slapping her hand over her mouth and blushing when she saw mine and Edward's glares.

'And who taught you such language young lady?' Edward asked, raising his eyebrow at her. She bit her lip and blushed again, twisting her fingers in her lap.

'Umm I heard it…on tv!' she rushed, obviously lying because Edward groaned and rolled his eyes.

'Emmett!' he yelled out the door and I could hear Emmett scrambling around downstairs, having realised that Edward was less than happy at him.

'Yes?' he asked, popping his head in the door with a sheepish grin.

'You need to control your language around the children' I sighed; he had the decency to look guilty and grimaced at us.

'Sorry…I've uhhh just got to and…you know' he rushed before disappearing out the door.

'Don't think this is over you brute!' Edward called after him, laughing at some thought that must have passed through Em's head. I chuckled too when I heard him receive a loud slap on the back of the head, Rosalie had obviously guessed what was going on and I heard her muttering about her husband being a _big child_ and an _idiot_, though she still had love in her voice despite her annoyance.

We went hunting with Nessie, she insisted on keeping her pyjamas on and I had a hard time controlling my laughter at the image of Nessie dressed as a bunny whilst pouncing on a herd of Elk. She unfortunately wasn't able to stay that clean, emerging from the bushes to where me and Edward were waiting, covered in splashes of mud, grass stains and the occasional drop of blood. It was adorable and I couldn't resist snapping a picture with Esme's camera when we got back to the house before cleaning her up and getting her changed. I sighed and leant backwards into Edward's arms, melting into his touch as he wrapped himself around me and nuzzled my neck, his cool breath sending shivers over my skin.

'Have I told you recently how much I love you?' he murmured, kissing my temple and tightening his grip on me. I chuckled and twisted in his embrace, reaching my arms around his neck and pulling his head down to mine so I could feel his soft lips against me.

'No but it can't be as much as I love you' I smiled against his mouth, sighing when he raised his eyebrow.

'I doubt that…I doubt that very much love' he smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>One month later:<strong>

* * *

><p>'Hey, how's the groom feeling?' I smiled, leaning against the doorway of Edward's bedroom and grinning at the sight before me. My dad was nervously adjusting his tie, trying to get it to sit straight and fiddling with the collar of his shirt. It was painfully obvious that he hated being in a 'monkey suit' as he called it and I didn't need Jasper's gift to feel his anxiety.<p>

'Nervous that's all, excited…I dunno Bells. I can't get this damn thing grrrr' he growled, running his hand over his newly shaven face, Alice and Sue had teamed up and finally managed to get him to shave his moustache. I sighed and suppressed my chuckle, coming over to stand in front of him and fixing his tie.

'Calm down dad, you're giving Jasper a panic attack downstairs' I laughed, I could hear Jaz pacing around in the living room, the anxiety of my father causing him to freak out a little bit. I didn't envy my brother in law's gift right now, though it was quite funny when a pleasant emotion took him over, especially when Alice's own bouncy excitement would cause him to jump up and down like a little girl.

'Oh crap. Sorry Jasper' he called out the door before his shoulders relaxed slightly from the wave of calm I felt being sent towards him. I finished his tie and patted his cheek, placing a quick kiss on his other cheek as he blushed.

'You ready pops?' I smiled as he slipped a flower in his breast pocket before taking in a deep breath.

'As ready as I'll ever be Bells' he sighed, pulling me into a hug before holding me out at an arm's length. 'Now come on, I'm needed downstairs and I think Alice will be looking for you' he grinned, watching my face drop as I remembered the frenzy Alice was in. I groaned and sighed, allowing him to push me out the door before he headed outside.

'There you are!' a chime like voice rang out, grabbing me and yanking me towards her bedroom while she spouted off orders to everyone we passed, fearful vampires were running around the house, unwilling to get on her bad side.

'Come on Alice, chill out' I moaned as she brought me into the room and passed me a bouquet of beautiful calla lilies and checked over my hair and dress. I was wearing a beautiful floor length satin gown in a deep blue and my hair was tied in a gentle bun with small pearls dotted in it. I looked over at Leah who looked almost as nervous as my dad had, her slightly shorter gown was twitching as she wriggled her foot anxiously. I gave her a reassuring smile and she grinned back before turning her gaze back to the door of the walk in closet where Rose and Alice were fussing over Sue.

'Are you ready to see the bride?' Alice sang and I heard Sue grumbling under her breath about _hyperactive tinkerbell _which caused me and Leah to laugh as Alice scoffed.

She looked lovely; I know the whole _glowing bride_ description is a huge cliché but Sue really did appear to be glowing as she stepped out of Alice's ridiculously large closet. Her nervous happiness was radiating out of her as she smoothed down the fabric of her dress. She hadn't wanted to go overly traditional, despite Alice's pleas, and had instead decided to wear a very simple ivory dress. It only had one shoulder strap and the rest of the silk slid down and gathered at her waist before flowing down into a simple and graceful skirt. I grinned at her, giving her a gentle hug so as not to mess her up too much and she laughed giddily.

'Are you ready mom?' Leah smiled, holding onto her hand. She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly before opening them and grinning broadly.

'Hell yeah' she laughed and I rolled my eyes and chuckled, allowing Alice to herd me to my place for the ceremony.

I was the first to go down, walking down the aisle as Edward played a beautiful song on the piano that he'd composed just for the occasion, I winked at him and almost faltered when I saw his lopsided grin but a growl from Alice made me continue going down to take my place by the alter. Nelle was next, her own dress only reached her knees and the colour matched perfectly with her hair that she wore to the side as she glided down the aisle and stood next to me. Billy, who was Charlie's best man, had to place a reassuring hand on my dad to stop him from hopping around too much, the anticipation was a bit too much for him and I got Jasper's attention, gesturing over at my dad who relaxed a second later. Then it was time for the maid of honour, Leah grinned madly at Eric as she paced down the aisle, her own heartbeat skittering in excitement as she took her place next to me and I placed a calming hand on her arm, smiling at her.

I heard a chorus of _awws_ ring out from the crowd when Nessie came along, wearing a lacy ivory dress that had a big satin bow around the waist as she skipped along and twirled, throwing rose petals everywhere and even getting some on the people sitting down. Her bronze curls were held together by lots of tiny little flowers that she had insisted on, taking the role of _flower girl_ quite literally. I had to contain my laughter as I noticed what followed her down the aisle; the infant bobcat, or _Buttercup_ as Nessie had called her since she became obsessed with _The_ _Princess Bride_, was running along while trying to keep up with my daughter; a small basket of flowers in her jaw that spilled petals as she bounded along. She was still tiny and though her injuries had healed she hadn't shown any desire to go out by herself, much preferring to go hunting with us and catch a few rodents before coming back to the house and claiming different territories, quite often resulting in her taking over someone's bed.

I turned my attention back towards the house; I could hear Sue's shaky breath as Seth whispered to her, he was taking the role of giving her away and I could hear his own heart was almost as fast as Sue's as they stepped out onto the aisle. Instead of looking at Sue, I focused my gaze on my dad, smiling to myself as I heard his heart literally skip a beat and a blush spread across his cheeks. There was nothing but love and excitement shining in his eyes as he stared at Sue, a goofy smile spread across his face that instantly made him look twenty years younger as he reached out and took Sue's hand and the ceremony began.

It gave me a strange sense of dejavu being here again, Mr Weber was the minister again and the sheer amount of happiness around us was almost overwhelming as my dad and Sue spoke their vows, promising to spend eternity at each other's side. I felt a small pang of pain when the _till death do you part_ line came up, a hollow feeling in my chest blossomed to life as I truly thought about what that meant. I was immortal…but Charlie was human and I didn't think he'd want to come over to being a vampire without Sue and I doubted that Sue would really want it at all. I didn't know how I would feel when he became old and faded away, but I would just have to deal with it if it was what he wanted. I pushed the pain out of my mind, ignoring Jasper's curious glances and focused back on the couple, allowing the happiness to seep back into me and overtake my worries of the future.

'I now pronounce you…husband and wife' Mr Weber smiled, closing his book and grinning up at Charlie and Sue who both had tears swimming in their eyes, though my dad was trying to be manly and hold them in. 'You may now kiss the bride I guess' he chuckled when Sue grabbed my dad and passionately kissed him, causing a murmur of laughter to break out as I groaned and covered my eyes.

I laughed and rolled my eyes as my dad released Sue, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as Emmett guffawed from the front row like an idiot, receiving a slap from Rose and a motherly glare from Esme, causing him to shut up immediately and join everyone else as they swarmed forwards to congratulate them. I was one of the last to get there, having to practically fight past everyone in order to congratulate my own father was ridiculous, but I couldn't exactly blame them for being excited. I finally broke through the mass of cold and hot bodies and stood before my dad and Sue, their huge smiles mirroring my own as I hugged Sue and kissed her on the cheek before moving over to my dad and pulling him into a hug.

'Congrats dad, I'm so happy for you' I smiled, squeezing him perhaps a little too tight because I realised he seemed to be struggling for breath. 'Oh sorry' I grimaced, ignoring his raised eyebrow as I chuckled.

'It's alright Bells' he smiled down at me, placing his arms over my shoulders. 'So now that all the stress is over, what next?' he asked, glancing over at Nessie who was playing with Buttercup on the grass.

'I don't know dad, whatever it is; I'm just happy that we're safe' I sighed, leaning into him as he rubbed my arm.

I looked across at the scattered groups of vampires, humans and wolves; smiling at the mismatched assortment of people I would have never dreamed in a million years that I would be able to call my family and felt a long awaited feeling bloom to life in my chest. For the first time since the Volturi and all the trouble with Vasilios, I felt hope and contentment without the looming fear that had tainted my happiness in the past as my eyes met the topaz gaze of my soul mate.

I felt complete again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The end. Sorry if it was too short for you folks but I got started on the sequel and it excited me : D R&R please.**


	40. Sequel

**A/N: Hello again folks. Just thought I'd give you some info on what's coming up in the future for the sequel. It'll be set about 8 years after A New Power and will follow the family as they start a new life in New York.**

* * *

><p>What will the Cullens do when they're confronted with a group of human's convinced that they're vampires?<p>

Will they be able to ignore the fact that some teenagers in white make-up are threatening to expose them? How will they react when these people openly claim to hold the same secret that the Cullens fight so hard to hide, not knowing that the real vampires are actually in front of them?

Where do fae come into the equation? And how will Carlisle's son react when he asked to go undercover into the very group of students that are claiming to be immortal, knowing that he will be the only true vampire among them.

* * *

><p><strong>Sound good? Keep you peepers open because I'm working on it now. It will focus a lot on Nessie, Maddy, Elsie, Zack and Carlisle and Esme's son Finn, though still including the perspective of Bella and some others.<strong>

**Anna Brooks**


	41. Strange Beginnings

**A/N: I have now posted the first chapter of the sequel, **_**Strange Beginnings**_**. Please read and let me know what you think of the taster. Hopefully I'll be posting more of it soon.**

**Anna Brooks**


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